The Town FilesLake View, Iowa
City in Sac County · population 1,113 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $175,600
- Household income
- $68,618
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 58.7
Lake View is a city of 1,113 people in Sac County, Iowa. The median home is worth $175,600, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of Iowa towns, more of a college town than 98% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 93% of Iowa towns.
How Lake View 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 View is worth $175,600, above the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $68,618, which is more affordable than 30% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $742 a month. 85.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake View | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $175,600 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $742 | $820 |
| Median household income | $68,618 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 85.1% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 28.2% | — |
Who lives in Lake View
| People | Lake View | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 42.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 11.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.4% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 13.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 18.8 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 88.5% |
Weather in Lake View
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 7.8°F. About 33.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.9 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake View 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 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 5, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 9, 2009.
Severe weather in Sac County since 1996
Sac County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 24, 2014 | Flood | DR-4184: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sac County
Sac County had 2,969 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,518 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Lake View itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Public schools in Lake View
1 public school with 383 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Sac County High School | 7-12 | 383 | 15.3 |
Towns near Lake View
- Wall Lake, IA3.8 mi · 755 people · home $128,700
- Sac City, IA8.5 mi · 2,063 people · home $136,000
- Breda, IA8.7 mi · 500 people · home $144,600
- Odebolt, IA11.2 mi · 994 people · home $98,800
- Early, IA12.5 mi · 587 people · home $90,300
- Arcadia, IA14.9 mi · 525 people · home $141,100
- Lake City, IA15.8 mi · 1,731 people · home $100,900
- Carroll, IA18.2 mi · 10,321 people · home $188,700
Lake View questions
Is Lake View, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake View scores better for retirees than 93% of Iowa towns and quieter than 32%. 42.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.7).
How much does a house cost in Lake View?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake View is valued at $175,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,618, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $742 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake View?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 7.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.0 inches of precipitation a year and 30.9 inches of snow.
Does Lake View get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake View 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)