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Living in
Storm Lake.
About
Life in Storm Lake
Storm Lake is a community of 11,275 people in Iowa. The median household income is $62,765, median rent runs about $898 per month, and median home values are around $172,200. Unemployment is low at 3.0%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Storm Lake at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.0%
Foreign-Born
30.3%
Broadband Internet
95.1%
of households
Population Growth
+2.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics30.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Storm Lake: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Storm Lake, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (43.4%), and 37.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.0%
of residents
65 and Older
12.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.0%
of households
Married Couples
43.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.68
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 8% below IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Storm Lake
In Storm Lake, rent runs 8% below the IA average, and home values are 17% below the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
27.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.8%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,482
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $176,430 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below IA average
Unemployment in Storm Lake
Unemployment in Buena Vista County, which includes Storm Lake, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the IA average.
Unemployment rate
Storm Lake: Buena Vista County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Buena Vista County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Storm Lake Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute10.1 min avg
How Storm Lake residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Storm Lake, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 95% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 52 mi
Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD)
Regional airport · few flights9,173 passengers boarded in 2025
- 99 mi
Eppley Airfield (OMA)
Medium hub2.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 25% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Storm Lake runs 25% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
247.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,330.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Storm Lake Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 26 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
39.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Buena Vista County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Buena Vista County, which includes Storm Lake, the most common type is winter weather, with 26 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 26 | Strong Wind | $2.5M |
| 2023 | 28 | Drought | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 23 | Drought | Not estimated |
| 2021 | 26 | Drought | $550,000 |
| 2020 | 17 | Drought | None reported |
| 2019 | 13 | Flood | $1.6M |
| 2018 | 35 | Winter Weather | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Buena Vista County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Palo Alto County, IA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 40 miles from Storm Lake) is typically good — 263 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
263
per year
Moderate Days
92
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Palo Alto County, IA (40 mi away)
Climate80°F summers, 12°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Storm Lake has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 12°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
29°/12°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
33.8"
Annual Snowfall
36.4"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
151
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
101
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°F | 9°F | 0.77" |
| Feb | 30°F | 13°F | 1.01" |
| Mar | 43°F | 25°F | 1.74" |
| Apr | 58°F | 37°F | 3.53" |
| May | 69°F | 49°F | 4.87" |
| Jun | 79°F | 60°F | 5.33" |
| Jul | 82°F | 64°F | 3.83" |
| Aug | 80°F | 61°F | 4.43" |
| Sep | 74°F | 53°F | 2.96" |
| Oct | 61°F | 40°F | 2.42" |
| Nov | 44°F | 27°F | 1.75" |
| Dec | 31°F | 15°F | 1.11" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Storm Lake
Storm Lake has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Buena Vista Regional Medical Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Storm Lake
Storm Lake's student/teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 18.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Storm Lake
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,366 students · in-state tuition $43,052 · 58% graduate · median earnings $51,626 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Storm Lake
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Storm Lake
Storm Lake Public Library
609 Cayuga St, Storm Lake
Cities Near Storm Lake
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Storm Lake?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Storm Lake FAQ
Is Storm Lake, Iowa affordable?⌄
Storm Lake's median rent is $898/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $62,765/year. Median home value is $172,200.
Is Storm Lake, Iowa safe?⌄
Storm Lake's violent crime rate was 247 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1331 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Storm Lake, Iowa?⌄
Buena Vista County, which includes Storm Lake, has an unemployment rate of 3.0%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Storm Lake, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Storm Lake is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $898/month and median household income is $62,765/year. The median home value is $172,200. About 28% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Storm Lake, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Storm Lake is 10 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from