United States › Storm Lake MICROPOLITAN AREA
Storm Lake Micro Storm Lake, IA · 1 counties · 20,449 residents (2025 est.) · 575 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Storm Lake is home to 20,753 people. Few US metro areas rank higher on income. 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $159,500. The average commute runs 14 minutes. The median age is 35.6, younger than the US median of 38.9.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 20,411 in 2000
20,449 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 36 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 36.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
19K 20K 20K 21K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Storm Lake Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $71,719
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,300 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,042 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 10.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.414 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6.3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 2%
Education & health services 1.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$159,500
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $65,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$894
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $417 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 70.4% in 2000
26.8% rent
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.45 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 30.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.0 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 82.1%(16,758)
Hispanic / Latino 12.5%(2,560)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 52.1%(10,808)
Hispanic / Latino 29.4%(6,094)
from 53 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 48 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
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data from 18.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 81.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 69.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 3.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 70.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 80.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 92.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 67.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 22.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 32.3%(2,623)
Women 15+
Never married 30.9%(2,537)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 53.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 15.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 21.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 68.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 35.1% 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) 19.4%(121)
Share of the 625 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
Largest cities What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to Storm Lake Head to head
Compare Storm Lake side by side STORM LAKE VS
Carroll
Income $72,930 +2%
Home value $176,000 +10%
Population 20,303 −1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STORM LAKE VS
Oskaloosa
Income $70,940 −1%
Home value $157,800 −1%
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STORM LAKE VS
Andrews
Income $72,242 +1%
Home value $195,700 +23%
Population 18,914 −8%
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STORM LAKE VS
Huron
Income $67,681 −6%
Home value $175,100 +10%
Population 19,624 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Storm Lake, IA? Storm Lake, IA has about 20,753 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Storm Lake, IA? The typical household in Storm Lake, IA earns about $71,719 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Storm Lake, IA expensive? In Storm Lake, IA, the median home is worth about $159,500, and the typical rent is about $894 a month.
How educated are people in Storm Lake, IA? About 22.2% of adults age 25 and over in Storm Lake, IA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Storm Lake, IA? About 7.8% of people in Storm Lake, IA live below the federal poverty line.
Has Storm Lake, IA grown since 1990? Yes, Storm Lake, IA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 788 residents, a change of about 4 percent over that period.
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