City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Lake City, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lake City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,652
Residents
$64,375
Median income
$103,300
Median home
$919
Median rent (state)

Lake City - the verdict

Lake City ranks in the 42nd percentile for household income and the 86th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

42nd
percentile, household income
11th
percentile, home value
6th
percentile, median rent
86th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lake City, IA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,652 residents in Lake City, a small town within Iowa. Lake City households earn a median of $64,375 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.7%. Lake City's housing stock carries a median value of $103,300, and the median resident age is 46.9 years. Educational attainment runs 21.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 55.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1 residential building permits were authorized in Lake City (Low Activity), per Census BPS data. Lake City reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 483.7 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: the state registers 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $919 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Iowa's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 44.6 out of 100 (Low).

Population

1,652 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$64,375 /yr

Poverty 5.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Lake City compare to other US cities?

Here's how Lake City stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 42% higher than other cities
Home value 11% pricier than other cities
Median rent 6% pricier than other cities
Safety 86% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Iowa, Lake City ranks #43 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lake City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

42ndIncome percentile
86thSafety percentile

42nd percentile nationally for median household income · 86th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lake City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lake City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 73 Avg. percentile National median
Lake City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Lake City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$103,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 89% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lake City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lake City, IA Lake City, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lake City, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lake City, IA median $64,375/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lake City, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lake City, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,652
Median Income
$64,375
Median Home Value
$103,300
Median Age
46.9
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Labor force participation
55.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
483.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
60.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
423.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,600 residents1,650 residents1,700 residents1,750 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,722 residents 1,640 residents ▼ -4.8%
Lake City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 1
2021 0
2022 0
2023 4
2024 1

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.9%
Carpool
10.7%
Public Transit
1.2%
Walk
5.0%
Work from Home
3.8%

Based on 754 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lake City sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$919/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
44.6 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Manson
1,653 people
Prairie City
1,649 people
Akron
1,660 people
Stuart
1,642 people
Nashua
1,634 people
Shell Rock
1,634 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake City's 1,652 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bingham Farms, MI
1,652 people
Lakefield, MN
1,652 people
Bolindale, OH
1,652 people
North Industry, OH
1,653 people
Pine Grove Mills, PA
1,653 people
Whitehall, WI
1,651 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake City's $64,375 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Franklin, ID
$64,375 median income
Greenleaf, ID
$64,375 median income
Lake of the Woods, IN
$64,375 median income
Bath, MI
$64,375 median income
Airport Drive, MO
$64,375 median income
Jane, MO
$64,375 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lake City, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lake City, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.7% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.9% White 90.7% Black or African American 0.1% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 7.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lake City compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lake City (this city) 1,652 $64,375
Manson 1,653 $70,893
Prairie City 1,649 $78,269
Akron 1,660 $59,706
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lake City, IA?

What is the population of Lake City, IA? +

The population of Lake City, IA stands at 1,652 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lake City, IA? +

Median annual household income in Lake City runs $64,375, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lake City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lake City; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

Is Lake City, IA safe? +

Lake City has a total crime rate of 483.7 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Lake City, IA? +

A typical home in Lake City is worth $103,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.