City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Twin Lakes, IA

Twin Lakes's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

535
Residents
$120,699
Median income
$543,400
Median home
$989
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Twin Lakes.

Place dossier plate

Sheet IA-TWIN-LAKES-IA · Twin Lakes, IA 535 pop · income 87th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-TOP · COL-BELOW · SAFE-UNK · RANK-TOP · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-HIGH · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 535
  • INC-TOP $120,699
  • COL-BELOW 87.8
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-TOP 87th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Martin Lake
  • HOME-HIGH $543,400
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Martin Lake, MN (+ $6 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Twin Lakes

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Twin Lakes on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Twin Lakes on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 535.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $120,699. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Twin Lakes - the verdict

Nationally, Twin Lakes sits in the 87th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

87th
percentile, household income
87th
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Twin Lakes, IA

Iowa's Twin Lakes is a small town, with 535 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Twin Lakes brings in $120,699 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.4%. Twin Lakes's housing stock carries a median value of $543,400, and the median resident age is 61.3 years. 52.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 47.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Iowa scores 87.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $989 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Iowa run around $212, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 26.2 minutes, with 93.8% driving alone and 6.2% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 39.7 out of 100 (Very Low).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Twin Lakes's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from comparison shortlist to housing and income to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Twin Lakes, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles, annual population history, matched public-school count, local building permits, FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

Question 1

Which cities make useful reference points for Twin Lakes?

Within Iowa, the closest population matches are Thornton (534 residents, $66,979 income); Truro (534 residents, $65,313 income); Farmington (531 residents, $54,643 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Vallecito, CA (535 residents); Wiscon, FL (535 residents); Lyerly, GA (535 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 2

How far does income reach against housing in Twin Lakes?

The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 4.5 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 3.4%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.

Compare the housing trade-off →

3. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Twin Lakes?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. The profile is strongly car-oriented, so a relocation comparison should put trip distance, vehicle access, and household fuel costs ahead of a citywide commute average. The same-state peer links offer a more relevant benchmark than a national label.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 93.8%. The reported mean trip to work is 26.2 minutes.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

535 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$120,699 /yr

High income · poverty 3.4% (Low poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Very affordable · BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

City profile score · Twin Lakes, IA

86/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Cost of living A+
87.8 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Household income A
$120,699

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Bachelor's+ share A
52.5%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Poverty rate B+
3.4%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Twin Lakes profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Household income, Bachelor's+ share, Poverty rate. Cost of livingHousehold incomeBachelor's+ sharePoverty rate 86 A
Twin Lakes profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 94/100 (A+) · 87.8 index
  • Household income: 86/100 (A) · $120,699
  • Bachelor's+ share: 86/100 (A) · 52.5%
  • Poverty rate: 76/100 (B+) · 3.4%

How does Twin Lakes compare to other US cities?

Twin Lakes measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 87% higher than other cities
Home value 87% pricier than other cities
Median rent 11% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Twin Lakes against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Iowa only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Iowa-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Twin Lakes near the bottom of Iowa's cities

Among the 858 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Twin Lakes ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Twin Lakes only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#20 of 845
98th percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 858
0th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#4 of 849
100th percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#590 of 858
31st percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#25 of 858
97th percentile in Iowa
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Iowa only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

87thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

87th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Twin Lakes's home value compares nationally

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

$543,400 13th percentile more affordable than 13% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $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%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Twin Lakes $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

Twin Lakes's home-value-to-income ratio: 4.5×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#11,977 of 15,516
More affordable than 23% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#9,182 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 4.5×, Twin Lakes sits in the moderate band: national rank #11,977 of 15,516 and #9,182 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$120,699 Twin Lakes, IA median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Twin Lakes, IA Twin Lakes, IA's median household income ($120,699) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Twin Lakes, IA-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Twin Lakes, IA median $120,699/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%
Twin Lakes, IA median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Twin Lakes, IA.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 52.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 47.6%

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

Population
535
Median Income
$120,699
Median Home Value
$543,400
Median Age
61.3
Poverty Rate
3.4%
Labor force participation
47.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
52.5%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
26.2 minutes
Drive Alone
93.8%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
6.2%

Based on 225 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Iowa statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $212

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Iowa at $212 (electricity about $95 , water and sewer about $42 ).

These are Iowa statewide averages, not a meter reading for Twin Lakes. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Iowa's BEA cost-of-living index is 87.8 (Well Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Twin Lakes is $989/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Iowa statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 39.7 / 100 (Very Low).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Iowa statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Twin Lakes sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Twin Lakes compares to similar-size Iowa cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Twin Lakes (this city) 535 $120,699
Thornton 534 $66,979
Truro 534 $65,313
Farmington 531 $54,643
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

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.

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