United States › Iowa › Spirit Lake CITY
Spirit Lake Iowa · 5,525 residents (2025 est.) · 4.52 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Spirit Lake is home to 5,518 people in Iowa. Getting to work takes 13 minutes on average. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. The population is up 30% since 2000. 27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $215,100.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 31%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 4,261 in 2000
5,525 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,221 / sq mi
+21%since 2009
from 1,012 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 4K 5K 5K 6K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Spirit Lake Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $65,720
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,224 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,661 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 6.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.389 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Education & health services 0.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.3%
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$215,100
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $90,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$911
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $419 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 70.5% in 2000
32.5% rent
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 1.93 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98.4%(4,193)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(27)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 89.8%(4,953)
Hispanic / Latino 3.7%(202)
from 4 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data from 20.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 86.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 71.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 91.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 38.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 5.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 5.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 58.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 20.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 13.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 79.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 35.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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) 25.4%(92)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.1%(80)
Share of the 362 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Spirit Lake Head to head
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SPIRIT LAKE VS
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SPIRIT LAKE VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Spirit Lake, Iowa? Spirit Lake, Iowa has about 5,518 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Spirit Lake, Iowa? The typical household in Spirit Lake, Iowa earns about $65,720 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Spirit Lake, Iowa expensive? In Spirit Lake, Iowa, the median home is worth about $215,100, and the typical rent is about $911 a month.
How educated are people in Spirit Lake, Iowa? About 26.8% of adults age 25 and over in Spirit Lake, Iowa hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Spirit Lake, Iowa? About 6.3% of people in Spirit Lake, Iowa live below the federal poverty line.
Has Spirit Lake, Iowa grown since 1990? Yes, Spirit Lake, Iowa has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,647 residents, a change of about 43 percent over that period.
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