With 7,607 people, Clear Lake is a city in Iowa. At a median age of 49.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 2% of people here were born outside the United States. Owners hold 76% of the housing stock. Renters pay $808 a month at the median. The average commute runs 19 minutes.
At a glance
Average income
median household income $79,415, near the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 49.1
US median: 38.9
Average education
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 60%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Clear Lake
What changed most since 1990
Median age36.0 → 49.1(+13.1 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Median home value (2024 dollars)$128,644 → $259,500(+102%)US over the same years: +67%
Clear Lake's population equals 18% of Cerro Gordo County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 11% of the county's. Its number of people who work from home equals 25% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)11.6%(40)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)12.2%(42)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36.6%(126)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.2%(18)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 344 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Clear Lake, decade by decade
Clear Lake population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
8,183
$65,805
$128,644
17.8%
6.7
2000
8,161
$63,935
$161,763
24.0%
9.3
2010
7,777
$67,961
$193,632
25.5%
12.9
2020
7,687
$74,344
$215,743
32.8%
20.3
2024
7,607
$79,415
$259,500
30.5%
12.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
