MICROPOLITAN AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Spirit Lake Micro

Spirit Lake, IA · 1 counties · 14,909 residents · 381 sq mi

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The short version

With 14,909 people, Spirit Lake is a metro area. At a median age of 39.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 76% of homes are owner-occupied. Median home value sits at $49,000. Renters pay $292 a month at the median. The poverty rate is 9.2%, under the national 13.2%.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 39.4

US median: 33.0

Average education

18% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 32%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

14,909

−9%vs 2000

vs 16,424 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Population density

39 / sq mi

−9%vs 2000

vs 43 / sq mi in 2000

Median age

39.4

−9%vs 2000

vs 43.3 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

381 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202418K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 55.5%(817)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 96.8%(1,015)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.4%(1,098)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 195.9%(887)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 243.9%(579)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3412.8%(1,912)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4415.2%(2,270)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.1%(1,505)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6411.6%(1,729)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7411.7%(1,743)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 847%(1,042)

US avg: 4%

85 and over2.1%(312)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$25,211

−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $39,020 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$13,639

−38%vs 2000

vs $21,929 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

9.2%

+3.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 6.0% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$49,000

−32%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $94,700 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$292

−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $416 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

75.8%

−2.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 78.0% in 2000

24.2% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic98.4%(16,164)

Black0.1%(20)

Hispanic / Latino0.7%(109)

Asian0.2%(29)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.6%(14,845)

Black0%(0)

Hispanic / Latino0.3%(50)

Asian0.2%(29)

Other0.2%(35)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican2.1%(385)

Cuban0.2%(31)

Puerto Rican0.1%(26)

South American0.1%(25)

Chilean0.1%(15)

Spaniard0.1%(12)

Colombian0.1%(10)

Central American0%(8)

Guatemalan0%(8)

Asian origin

Filipino0.3%(49)

Korean0.1%(14)

Chinese0%(8)

Thai0%(1)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0%(1)

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)

Subsaharan African0.2%(35)

Swiss0.2%(27)

Austrian0.1%(26)

Finnish0.1%(21)

French Canadian0.1%(21)

Lithuanian0.1%(17)

Ukrainian0.1%(12)

Iranian0.1%(10)

Greek0.1%(9)

Arab0%(6)

Lebanese0%(6)

Armenian0%(3)

Romanian0%(2)

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

17.5%

−3.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 21.3% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

84.1%

−5.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 89.2% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.9%

−0.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 5.4% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

20.3 min

+84%vs 2000

vs 11.0 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 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

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

2.6%

−5.4 ptssince 2013

from 8.0% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

52.0%

+1.6 ptssince 2020

from 50.4% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

20.4%

−2.9 ptssince 2020

from 23.3% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

29.9%

+3.0 ptssince 2020

from 26.9% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

17.2%

+3.1 ptssince 2020

from 14.1% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.5%

+0.2 ptssince 2020

from 3.3% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

70.0%

−2.6 ptssince 2020

from 72.6% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

44.4%

+5.2 ptssince 2020

from 39.2% 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)19.1%(221)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)17.4%(202)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era36.5%(423)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War13.5%(156)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0.9%(10)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,159 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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In this metro