Spirit Lake, IA

Full City Profile · Iowa · Dickinson County County

3.5 /5.0
B+ Good
5,469 Population 1,210/sq mi density
$73,627 Median Income $41,566 per capita
$218,400 Home Value $338,625 Zillow
$885 Median Rent 20.2% income on rent
46°F Avg Temperature
342 Violent Crime/100K 1,440 property/100K
B+
Overall
3.5 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.4 / 5.0
$73,627 median income, 2.2% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$218,400 home value, $885/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
342 violent crimes/100K
B+
Education
3.6 / 5.0
32.0% bachelor's degree or higher

Spirit Lake, IA

At a Glance

Median Income
$73,627
2% below
$41,566 per capita
Home Value
$218,400
23% below
Zillow: $338,625
Median Rent
$885/mo
24% below
20.2% of income on rent
Violent Crime
342/100K
10% below
1,440/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
32.0%
5% below
97.2% high school+
Unemployment
2.2%
39% below
2.5% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
39.1%
22% above
15.6% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
46°F

How Spirit Lake Compares to the U.S. Average

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

Income
98%
Home Value
77%
Rent
76%
Poverty
20%
Bachelor's
95%
Unemployment
61%
Crime
90%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Spirit Lake a Good Place to Live?

B+
3.5 / 5.0 - Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Spirit Lake residents earn a median household income of $73,627 , which is 2% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $41,566. The unemployment rate stands at 2.2% (39% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 2.5% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 958 business establishments, including 107 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Spirit Lake is $218,400 , 23% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $338,625. Median rent is $885/month, with 20.2% 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 1977.

Safety & Crime

Spirit Lake reports 342 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 10% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 1,440/100K.

Education

32.0% of adults in Spirit Lake hold a bachelor's degree or higher (5% below the national average). 97.2% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.4/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Spirit Lake has an average annual temperature of 46°F (8°C). Winters average 16°F in January while summers reach 73°F in July. Annual precipitation totals 29.1 inches.

Data Overview

People

Population5,469
Median Age40.6 yrs
Density1,210/mi²
Male / Female50% / 50%
Foreign Born1.7%
Veterans6.7%

Economy

A
Median Income$73,627
Per Capita$41,566
Unemployment2.2%
Poverty2.5%
County GDP$1,529M
Avg Weekly Wage$897

Housing

A+
Home Value$218,400
Rent$885
Ownership66.2%
Zillow$338,625
Housing Units2,834
Rent Burden20.2%

Crime

F
Violent342/100K
Property1,440/100K

Health

Obesity39.1%
Diabetes9.2%
Smoking15.6%
Heart Disease5.4%
Premature Death4,872/100K

Climate

Avg Temp46°F
Rain29.1 in/yr
Elevation1,461 ft

Education

B+
Bachelor's+32.0%
High School+97.2%
Graduate+7.8%
School Score6.4/10

Community

2024 VoteR 69% / D 29%
Commute14 min
Broadband84.4%
Internet Speed75 Mbps
EV Stations3
Libraries5

Did You Know?

The median home in Spirit Lake was built in 1977.
The nearest airport is Fort Dodge Regional (76 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.441 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Very Low" by FEMA.
14.0% of the population has a disability.
There are 107 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 1 fatal vehicle crashes.