The Town FilesWall Lake, Iowa
City in Sac County · population 755 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $128,700
- Household income
- $71,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 48.9
Wall Lake is a city of 755 people in Sac County, Iowa. The median home is worth $128,700, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks better for families than 77% of Iowa towns, more of a college town than 71% of Iowa towns, easier by car than 70% of Iowa towns.
How Wall Lake 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 Wall Lake is worth $128,700, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $71,875, which is more affordable than 83% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $637 a month. 84.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wall Lake | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $128,700 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $637 | $820 |
| Median household income | $71,875 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 84.6% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wall Lake
| People | Wall Lake | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.0% | 88.5% |
Weather in Wall Lake
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 32.6 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 Wall Lake since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 26, 1991 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 15, 2021.
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 Wall Lake itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Towns near Wall Lake
- Lake View, IA3.8 mi · 1,113 people · home $175,600
- Breda, IA8.4 mi · 500 people · home $144,600
- Odebolt, IA8.8 mi · 994 people · home $98,800
- Sac City, IA11.8 mi · 2,063 people · home $136,000
- Arcadia, IA12.8 mi · 525 people · home $141,100
- Early, IA13.7 mi · 587 people · home $90,300
- Carroll, IA18.0 mi · 10,321 people · home $188,700
- Lake City, IA18.5 mi · 1,731 people · home $100,900
Wall Lake questions
Is Wall Lake, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wall Lake scores better for retirees than 68% of Iowa towns and quieter than 50%. 30.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.9).
How much does a house cost in Wall Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Wall Lake is valued at $128,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,875, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $637 a month.
What is the weather like in Wall Lake?
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 32.6 inches of snow.
Does Wall Lake get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wall Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 26, 1991. 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)