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Neighborhood report

Storm Lake, IA

Founded 1873Buena Vista CountyElev. 433 m
Population
11,275
Median home
$163,600
Disaster risk
Very Low
Public schools
6
Sex offenders
0

Overview

About Storm Lake

With about 11,275 residents, Storm Lake is one of Iowa's notable places. Storm Lake was founded in 1873 and sits in Buena Vista County. The median age is 31.2 and the median household income is $58,341. Homes carry a median value of $163,600, and about 64% of residents own where they live. Hispanic or Latino residents make up the largest share of the population (41%). Around 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the typical commute runs about 11 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

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Who lives here

Demographics

Population
11,275
Median age
31.2
Median household income
$58,341
Per-capita income
$28,947
Poverty rate
7.7%
High-school grad or higher
70.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher
18.9%
Unemployment
3.7%
Avg. commute
11 min
Work from home
5.6%
Residents by race & ethnicity
White34%
Hispanic or Latino41%
Black3.8%
Asian14.7%
Workforce by occupation
Production, transportation & material moving45.5%
Sales & office17.1%
Management, business, science & arts17%
Service11.4%
Natural resources, construction & maintenance9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

Housing

Property report

Median home value
$163,600
Median gross rent
$830/mo
Owner-occupied
64.4%
Median year built
1968
Households
4,009
Avg. household size
2.61

Area-level figures. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (5-year). Parcel-level records coming next.

Education

Schools

Schools: Mixed

Storm Lake has 6 public schools — 2 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high.

Student proficiency · grade 8, 1 school
Reading47%
Math57%

% of students at or above proficient on state assessments.

St Lake/IA Cntrl/Buena Vista Early College HSHighGrades 12–12charter
Storm Lake High SchoolHighGrades 9–12
Storm Lake Middle SchoolMiddleGrades 5–8
Storm Lake Early Elementary SchoolElementary
Storm Lake ElementaryElementaryGrades 1–4
East Early Childhood CtrGrades -1–-1

Public schools + grade-8 proficiency. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES directory + EDFacts assessments), via Urban Institute.

Safety

Crime

violent crime38% below national
Storm Lake238
Iowa280
United States386
↓ 47% lower than 2019
2019–2023
property crime16% below national
Storm Lake1,633
Iowa1,487
United States1,952
↓ 3% lower than 2019
2019–2023

Rate per 100,000 residents/year, Storm Lake Police Department, 2023. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS (Crime Data Explorer).

Environment

Environmental hazards

Toxic-release sites and regulated facilities in and around Storm Lake.

Data source being added: U.S. EPA — Toxics Release Inventory (public). We show real, sourced figures only — never estimates.

Risk

Natural disaster risk

Very Low
Top hazards · Buena Vista County
DroughtRelatively Moderate
HailRelatively Moderate
Strong windRelatively Moderate
TornadoRelatively Moderate
Winter weatherRelatively Moderate
Cold waveRelatively Low

County-level natural-hazard risk. Source: FEMA National Risk Index.

Context

Neighborhood info

Storm Lake is in Buena Vista County — see county-wide risk, demographics, and registry.

Storm Lake was founded in 1873 and sits in Buena Vista County. Elevation ~433 m.

Map of Storm Lake
Storm Lake, IA
Where Storm Lake is
Des MoinesCedar RapidsDavenportSiouxIowaAnkenyStorm Lake
Historic places

4 on the National Register of Historic Places.

Storm Lake Public LibraryIllinois Central Passenger Depot--Storm LakeHarker HouseStorm Lake High School
Notable people from Storm Lake
Steve KingJanet DaileyWinton HochGeorge B. FrenchNate BjorkgrenMatt KochEdmund B. GregoryJoe DeckerGary WorthanSteve Kettering
People searches in Storm Lake
Michael Smith (2)John Smith (2)James SmithDavid SmithRobert SmithMichael JohnsonJohn JohnsonJames JohnsonMichael WilliamsWilliam SmithDavid JohnsonRobert JohnsonJohn WilliamsMichael BrownMichael JonesJames WilliamsDavid WilliamsJohn BrownRobert WilliamsJohn JonesWilliam JohnsonMary SmithJames BrownJames Jones
Nearby cities
Spencer (35 mi)Carroll (43 mi)Le Mars (51 mi)Fort Dodge (53 mi)Sioux (62 mi)Boone (79 mi)

Common questions

Storm Lake — frequently asked

What is the population of Storm Lake, Iowa?
Storm Lake has a population of about 11,275, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year).
What is the average home value in Storm Lake?
The median home value in Storm Lake is $163,600, and the median gross rent is $830/month (U.S. Census ACS).
Is Storm Lake safe? What is the crime rate?
Storm Lake Police Department reported a violent-crime rate of about 238 per 100,000 residents in 2023 — lower than the U.S. rate of 386. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS.
What natural-disaster risks does Storm Lake face?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Buena Vista County as "Very Low" overall, with top hazards including drought, hail, strong wind.
How many schools are in Storm Lake?
Storm Lake has 6 public schools (2 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, NCES.
How many registered sex offenders are in Storm Lake?
Public registry data lists 0 registered sex offenders in or near Storm Lake. This is neighborhood-safety information from the public state registry.
Look up a person in Storm Lake →