The Town FilesLake City, Iowa
City in Calhoun County · population 1,731 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $100,900
- Household income
- $74,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 46.5
Lake City is a city of 1,731 people in Calhoun County, Iowa. The median home is worth $100,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 85% of Iowa towns.
How Lake City ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lake City is worth $100,900, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $74,167, which is more affordable than 95% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $763 a month. 78.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake City | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $100,900 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $763 | $820 |
| Median household income | $74,167 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.2% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lake City
| People | Lake City | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.9% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 88.5% |
Weather in Lake City
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 8.4°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.8 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake City since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 27, 1995 about 7.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 0 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 16, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 10, 2015.
Severe weather in Calhoun County since 1996
Calhoun County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4784: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4642: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4421: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Calhoun County
Calhoun County had 2,788 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,076 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Lake City itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Lake City
1 public school with 281 students, about 10.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Central Calhoun High School | 9-12 | 281 | 10.4 |
Towns near Lake City
- Rockwell City, IA10.4 mi · 2,240 people · home $88,500
- Breda, IA13.8 mi · 500 people · home $144,600
- Glidden, IA14.5 mi · 1,151 people · home $154,200
- Carroll, IA15.3 mi · 10,321 people · home $188,700
- Lake View, IA15.8 mi · 1,113 people · home $175,600
- Sac City, IA17.3 mi · 2,063 people · home $136,000
- Wall Lake, IA18.5 mi · 755 people · home $128,700
- Scranton, IA19.5 mi · 511 people · home $86,300
Lake City questions
Is Lake City, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake City scores better for retirees than 46% of Iowa towns and quieter than 47%. 27.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.5).
How much does a house cost in Lake City?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake City is valued at $100,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,167, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $763 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake City?
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 8.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 31.8 inches of snow.
Does Lake City get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 27, 1995. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)