The Town FilesLake Mills, Iowa
City in Winnebago County · population 2,143 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $122,600
- Household income
- $61,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 46.2
Lake Mills is a city of 2,143 people in Winnebago County, Iowa. The median home is worth $122,600, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for retirees than 90% of Iowa towns, better for cycling than 82% of Iowa towns.
How Lake Mills 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 Mills is worth $122,600, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $61,875, which is more affordable than 71% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $624 a month. 62.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Mills | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $122,600 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $624 | $820 |
| Median household income | $61,875 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 62.8% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Lake Mills
| People | Lake Mills | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.3% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 14.6 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.4% | 88.5% |
Weather in Lake Mills
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 5.6°F. About 35.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.1 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Mills since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 10, 1953 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 5, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 7, 2008.
Severe weather in Winnebago County since 1996
Winnebago County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796: Severe Storms, Flooding, 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 |
| August 20, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4386: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Winnebago County
Winnebago County had 4,041 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,021 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Lake Mills itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Lake Mills
3 public schools with 670 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Mills Elementary School | PK-5 | 316 | 15.0 |
| Lake Mills Senior High School | 9-12 | 213 | 11.2 |
| Lake Mills Middle School | 6-8 | 141 | 28.2 |
Towns near Lake Mills
- Forest City, IA12.2 mi · 4,285 people · home $143,500
- Pickerel Lake, MN14.5 mi · 643 people · home $312,300
- Northwood, IA15.9 mi · 2,072 people · home $130,300
- Glenville, MN16.6 mi · 568 people · home $123,300
- Albert Lea, MN17.3 mi · 602 people · home $257,900
- Alden, MN17.4 mi · 583 people · home $128,400
- Albert Lea, MN18.4 mi · 18,492 people · home $157,500
- Manly, IA18.9 mi · 1,256 people · home $120,300
Lake Mills questions
Is Lake Mills, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Mills scores better for retirees than 90% of Iowa towns and quieter than 67%. 23.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.2).
How much does a house cost in Lake Mills?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Mills is valued at $122,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,875, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $624 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Mills?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 5.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.9 inches of precipitation a year and 38.1 inches of snow.
Does Lake Mills get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Mills since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 10, 1953. 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)