CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Spirit Lake

Iowa · 3,871 residents · 4.52 sq mi

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Part of the Spirit Lake micropolitan area

The short version

With 3,871 people, Spirit Lake is a city in Iowa. At a median age of 38.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Median home value sits at $47,200. Getting to work takes 13 minutes on average. Renters pay $286 a month at the median. 70% of homes are owner-occupied.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 38.2

US median: 33.0

Less educated

15% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 31%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

3,871

−9%vs 2000

vs 4,261 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

38.2

−4%vs 2000

vs 39.9 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

4.52 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20246K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 55.7%(220)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 96.5%(253)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 148.6%(334)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 196.2%(240)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 244.5%(173)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414%(542)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.4%(517)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5412.5%(485)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 648.4%(326)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7410.2%(393)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 847.9%(304)

US avg: 4%

85 and over2.2%(84)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$22,972

−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $36,224 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$11,366

−39%vs 2000

vs $18,661 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

11.3%

+4.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 6.6% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$47,200

−31%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $90,400 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$286

−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $419 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

70.4%

−0.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 70.5% in 2000

29.6% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic98.4%(4,193)

Black0.1%(6)

Hispanic / Latino0.6%(27)

Asian0%(2)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic100%(3,871)

Black0%(0)

Hispanic / Latino0.1%(5)

Asian0%(0)

Other0%(0)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican3.6%(201)

Asian origin

Filipino0.2%(11)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0%(1)

Ancestry

German43.9%(2,421)

Irish9.2%(508)

English7.1%(391)

Norwegian6%(329)

Dutch4.8%(266)

Danish4.2%(234)

Scottish3.3%(182)

French3.2%(176)

Swedish2.1%(114)

American1.9%(106)

Hungarian1.1%(60)

Polish1%(55)

+ 14 more ancestry groups with data

Italian1%(54)

Canadian0.9%(51)

Czech0.8%(46)

Welsh0.5%(29)

Russian0.4%(22)

British0.3%(19)

Austrian0.3%(18)

Lithuanian0.3%(17)

Subsaharan African0.2%(11)

Iranian0.2%(10)

Finnish0.2%(9)

Arab0.1%(6)

Lebanese0.1%(6)

Scotch-Irish0.1%(5)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest Dutch population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

14.8%

−6.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 20.9% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

83.1%

−3.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 86.1% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.5%

+0.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.0% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

12.8 min

+21%vs 2000

vs 10.6 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married27%(623)

Married59%(1,360)

Widowed4.2%(97)

Divorced9.8%(225)

Women 15+

Never married21.4%(480)

Married51.2%(1,151)

Widowed13.3%(299)

Divorced14.1%(317)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

1.7%

−3.8 ptssince 2013

from 5.5% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

61.4%

+3.4 ptssince 2020

from 58.0% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

12.6%

−7.4 ptssince 2020

from 20.0% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

23.1%

−0.2 ptssince 2020

from 23.3% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

19.4%

+5.7 ptssince 2020

from 13.7% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

4.0%

+1.9 ptssince 2020

from 2.1% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

73.2%

−6.0 ptssince 2020

from 79.2% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

39.5%

+4.2 ptssince 2020

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)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)22.1%(80)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era27.1%(98)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War24%(87)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II1.4%(5)

US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

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