Storm Lake, IA
Census place 1975630 · pop 11,428
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
17.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
33.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
18.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
16.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
38.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.44% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$62,765 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
305 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1679 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
66.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.42 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
7.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+8.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$172,200 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
95.1% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
50/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
10 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Not measured for Storm Lake: Air, Bad air, Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Storm Lake, IA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Storm Lake scores 55/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 19 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is uninsured adults. Iowa overall ranks #11 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Storm Lake, IA?
- Storm Lake reports 305 violent crimes per 100k and 1679 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Storm Lake, IA expensive to live in?
- Storm Lake has a median home value of $172,200 — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Storm Lake, IA?
- Its weakest measured area is uninsured adults (17.3%) — 11/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Storm Lake, IA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (10 min) — 100/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.