Central School · National Register of Historic Places
Lake City’s story
170 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1877.
8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1856Lake City is settled
Lake CityIA
Trash & recyclingPhoto: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,640
2025 Census estimate · −5.1% since 2020
Typical home
$150K
+12.1% in a year
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
46.5
years
Jobs based here
877
Balanced
Is Lake City a good place to live?
The best of Lake City’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A− for history; the weakest is a C for incomes. Only 8 of Iowa’s 276 towns score higher on cost of living. Lake City is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 72% of U.S. towns. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 4 have a higher share of residents 65 or older than Lake City. Lake City has 8 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Marsh Rainbow Arch Bridge and Central School. Lake City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Lake City stand out
Where Lake City beats most towns.
Typical home value
Lake City$150K
Iowa$237K
Cost of livingA+
2.3 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 98% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Central SchoolHistoryA−
Settled in 1856
A history going back 170 years.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 72% of U.S. towns
5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
How Lake City grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Lake City is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.2 of 20; 1.9% of households have no carB+Open →Jobs & income$74K median household incomeCOpen →SafetyBOpen →SchoolsC+Open →HealthStewart Memorial Community Hospital 0.8 miles awayB−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 48% of U.S. communities; drought tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsCOpen →History2 notable people born hereA−Open →Civic life9.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 46.5; 20% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lake City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lake City, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLake City Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpCity Yard Waste Disposal SiteDrop-offTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCalhoun County AuditorCalhoun County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2026
ZIP code5144951449 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lake City.
HousingCost of living grade A+
Homes in Lake City are worth about $150K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Lake City home is worth about $150,000, up 12.1% in a year, 37% below the Iowa typical home. Lake City’s median rent is $763 a month, where Iowa’s towns sit at $911 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. 78% of Lake City households own their home.
$150KZillow home value
| Lake City | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $763 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Lake City$150K
Iowa$237K
+12.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC+
On state tests, Lake City’s schools trail 64% of Iowa districts
Its public schools are run by the South Central Calhoun Community School District. Its one school is below.
36%of IA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Central Calhoun High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 284 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
Climate
Lake City has four seasons and pleasant summers
Lake City has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 10° and about 32 inches of snow falls in a winter.
32″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–31°
Spring37–59°
Summer61–82°
Fall39–61°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyB
Lake City reports less crime per resident than 64% of U.S. towns
Lake City’s property crime rate is 3 per 1,000 residents, below both Iowa’s towns (7.3) and U.S. towns (9.9).
64%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
| Lake City | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3 per 1,000 residents | 7.3 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.8 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lake City1.8
Iowa2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lake City3
Iowa12.1
U.S.15.5
64th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
5
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
A job hub: Lake City has 1.3 jobs for every working resident and draws in 636 commuters
About one in 3 of Lake City’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Lake City is 18 minutes. Jobs based in Lake City fell to 877 in 2023, 58 fewer than in 2013.
36%work in town
| Lake City | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 36% | 31% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Lake City36%
Rockwell City7%
Ames3%
Lake View2%
Fort Dodge2%
13 mi
median commute distance
877
jobs based in Lake City
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 72% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB−
Lake City is less healthy than 52% of U.S. towns
Lake City beats the Iowa average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 31% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Lake City. Among 141 Iowa towns, just 5 have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Lake City.
48%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Lake City | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
2 better23 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Lake City | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.3% | 77.8% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 86.9% | 84.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.5% | 11.6% |
Stewart Memorial Community Hospital
0.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Drought leads a moderate hazard risk in Lake City
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 52% of U.S. communities.
48risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingHail
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 3,066 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Goins Memorial Park | — | 15 |
| 2. Historic Central School Playground | — | 2 |
| 3. Lake City Towne Square | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lake City
19pages on Lake City
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 64% of IA districts · 1 schoolSafetyB1.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB−Better than IA on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$150K typical home · up 12.1% in a yearWork & commuteC$74K median household income · 877 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 48% of U.S. communities · drought
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Lake City; the nearest are
Iowa Central Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fort Dodge31 mi$5,496 in-state tuitionIowa State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ames57.9 mi$10,787 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Lake City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
Landmarks
8 places in Lake City on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Lake City
City in Iowa, United States
Lake City is a city in Calhoun County, Iowa, United States, founded in 1856. The population was 1,731 at the time of the 2020 census. The sign coming into town proudly proclaims that Lake City has "Everything but a Lake."
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1856
- Area
- 4.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,240 ft
- ZIP code
- 51449
- Area code
- 712
Questions about Lake City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lake City, IA expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
What is Lake City, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Archer MacMackin and William Winkelman.