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MICROPOLITAN AREA

Spirit Lake Micro

Spirit Lake, IA · 1 counties · 18,077 residents (2025 est.) · 380.532 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#21Lowest poverty rateof 9257.6%#39Oldest by median ageof 92548.7
The short version

Spirit Lake has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $75,432. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $270,700. With a median age of 48.7, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. It sits in the top 10% of US metro areas for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 48.7
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 57%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
17,990
+10%since 2000
from 16,424 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
47 / sq mi
+10%since 2000
from 43 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
48.7
+12%since 2000
from 43.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:18,077 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
15K16K16K17K18K1990201020202024Spirit Lake
202418K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.7%(840)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.1%(909)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.9%(1,055)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.4%(795)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.8%(871)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.1%(1,814)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.7%(1,926)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.7%(2,111)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.4%(2,590)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7416.1%(2,899)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 848.6%(1,547)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.5%(633)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$75,432
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,020 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$48,636
+122%since 2000
from $21,929 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
50.4%
+23.6 ptssince 2009
from 26.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
7.6%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 6.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.446
+5%since 2010
from 0.423 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade20.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services7.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration5.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade5.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance4.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction3.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing2.4%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$270,700
+57%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $94,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$922
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $416 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
77.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 78.0% in 2000
22.5% rent
Vacancy rate
37.7%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 35.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
20.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
36.0%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 35.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.6
+14%since 2009
from 3.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
42
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Spirit Lake on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic98.4%(16,164)
Black0.1%(20)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(109)
Asian0.2%(29)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic93.4%(16,795)
Black0%(6)
Hispanic / Latino2.9%(513)
Asian0.5%(83)
Other3.3%(593)
Diversity Score
16
+191%since 2009
from 5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
29
+101%since 2020
from 14 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.1%(385)
Cuban0.2%(31)
Puerto Rican0.1%(26)
Chilean0.1%(15)
Spaniard0.1%(12)
Colombian0.1%(10)
Asian origin
Filipino0.3%(49)
Korean0.1%(14)
Chinese0%(8)
Thai0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German41%(7,373)
Irish11.1%(1,997)
English8.3%(1,501)
Norwegian7.2%(1,289)
Dutch6.1%(1,090)
American4.1%(736)
Swedish3.9%(698)
Danish3%(535)
Scottish1.9%(349)
French1.8%(324)
Italian1.2%(213)
Polish0.8%(136)
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data
Czech0.7%(124)
Welsh0.5%(84)
Russian0.4%(75)
Belgian0.4%(67)
Hungarian0.4%(67)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(65)
Canadian0.3%(51)
British0.2%(43)
Swiss0.2%(27)
Austrian0.1%(26)
Finnish0.1%(21)
Lithuanian0.1%(17)
Ukrainian0.1%(12)
Iranian0.1%(10)
Greek0.1%(9)
Arab0%(6)
Slovene0%(2)
Slovak0%(1)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest Dutch population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.2%
+9.8 ptssince 2000
from 21.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
96.9%
+7.7 ptssince 2000
from 89.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.6%
+3.2 ptssince 2000
from 5.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
16.7 min
+52%since 2000
from 11.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
77.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 77.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.0%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.5%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.4%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.0%
−1.9 ptssince 2011
from 4.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
64.5%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 68.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
12.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
37.2%
−27.4 ptssince 2009
from 64.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Female
49.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Foreign born
1.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.0%
−41.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.7%
+2.1 ptssince 2012
from 12.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
2.6%
−89.4 ptssince 2013
from 92.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.8%
+12.5 ptssince 2017
from 78.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
98.3%
+0.5 ptssince 2016
from 97.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2016
from 1.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married23.6%(1,788)
Married63.6%(4,819)
Widowed3.4%(260)
Divorced9.4%(712)
Women 15+
Never married18.1%(1,375)
Married60.3%(4,590)
Widowed10.4%(788)
Divorced11.2%(854)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
In this metro

Largest cities

Spirit LakeCENTRAL5,525Milford3,209Arnolds Park1,198Lake Park1,111Okoboji712Orleans493Wahpeton333West Okoboji309Terril304Superior124
What's inside

1 component county

Dickinson CountyCENTRAL18,077
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Spirit Lake

Bishop
Pop 18,158
Andrews
Pop 18,914
Carroll
Pop 20,303
Port Lavaca
Pop 19,599
Places similar to Spirit Lake
Head to head

Compare Spirit Lake side by side

SPIRIT LAKE VS
Bishop
Income$73,991−2%
Home value$348,700+29%
Population18,158same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPIRIT LAKE VS
Andrews
Income$72,242−4%
Home value$195,700−28%
Population18,914+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPIRIT LAKE VS
Carroll
Income$72,930−3%
Home value$176,000−35%
Population20,303+12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPIRIT LAKE VS
Port Lavaca
Income$79,959+6%
Home value$171,200−37%
Population19,599+8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Spirit Lake, IA?

Spirit Lake, IA has about 17,990 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Spirit Lake, IA?

The typical household in Spirit Lake, IA earns about $75,432 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Spirit Lake, IA expensive?

In Spirit Lake, IA, the median home is worth about $270,700, and the typical rent is about $922 a month.

How educated are people in Spirit Lake, IA?

About 31.2% of adults age 25 and over in Spirit Lake, IA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Spirit Lake, IA?

About 7.6% of people in Spirit Lake, IA live below the federal poverty line.

Has Spirit Lake, IA grown since 1990?

Yes, Spirit Lake, IA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,081 residents, a change of about 21 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →