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Clear Lake, IA

Full City Profile · Iowa · Cerro Gordo County County

3.4 /5.0
B Good
7,603 Population 705/sq mi density
$70,278 Median Income $55,365 per capita
$235,100 Home Value $318,177 Zillow
$755 Median Rent 24.6% income on rent
46°F Avg Temperature 260 sunny days/yr
410 Violent Crime/100K 1,747 property/100K
B
Overall
3.4 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.4 / 5.0
$70,278 median income, 1.3% unemployment
A+
Affordability
4.8 / 5.0
$235,100 home value, $755/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
410 violent crimes/100K (8% above avg)
B
Education
3.4 / 5.0
29.7% bachelor's degree or higher

Clear Lake, IA

At a Glance

Median Income
$70,278
6% below
$55,365 per capita
Home Value
$235,100
17% below
Zillow: $318,177
Median Rent
$755/mo
35% below
24.6% of income on rent
Violent Crime
410/100K
8% above
1,747/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
29.7%
12% below
96.5% high school+
Unemployment
1.3%
64% below
1.0% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
39.1%
22% above
15.0% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
46°F
260 sunny days/yr

How Clear Lake Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Clear Lake's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
94%
Home Value
83%
Rent
65%
Poverty
8%
Bachelor's
88%
Unemployment
36%
Crime
108%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Clear Lake a Good Place to Live?

B
3.4 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Clear Lake residents earn a median household income of $70,278 , which is 6% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $55,365. The unemployment rate stands at 1.3% (64% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 1.0% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 1,681 business establishments, including 127 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Clear Lake is $235,100 , 17% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $318,177. Median rent is $755/month, with 24.6% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 87.8 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1972.

Safety & Crime

Clear Lake reports 410 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 8% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 1,747/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

29.7% of adults in Clear Lake hold a bachelor's degree or higher (12% below the national average). 96.5% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.4/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Clear Lake has an average annual temperature of 46°F (8°C). Winters average 16°F in January while summers reach 72°F in July. The area gets 260 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 36.3 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 43.

Data Overview

People

Population7,603
Median Age49.2 yrs
Density705/mi²
Male / Female48% / 52%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans5.9%

Economy

A
Median Income$70,278
Per Capita$55,365
Unemployment1.3%
Poverty1.0%
County GDP$3,729M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,057

Housing

A+
Home Value$235,100
Rent$755
Ownership74.9%
Zillow$318,177
Housing Units4,373
Rent Burden24.6%

Crime

F
Violent410/100K
Property1,747/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault410/100K
Burglary384/100K

Health

Obesity39.1%
Diabetes8.9%
Smoking15.0%
Heart Disease5.2%
Premature Death9,468/100K

Climate

Avg Temp46°F
Sunny Days260/yr
Rain36.3 in/yr
AQI43 (Good)
Elevation1,229 ft

Education

B
Bachelor's+29.7%
High School+96.5%
Graduate+10.2%
School Score5.4/10

Community

2024 VoteR 55% / D 43%
Commute19 min
Broadband86.2%
Internet Speed129 Mbps
EV Stations4
Libraries7

Did You Know?

The median home in Clear Lake was built in 1972.
The nearest airport is Northeast Iowa Regional (39 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.452 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
16.0% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 129 Mbps.
There are 127 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 3 fatal vehicle crashes.