West OkobojiIA
A town of 309.
Is West Okoboji a good place to live?
38% of the land in West Okoboji is conserved, above both Iowa’s towns (3.1%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Garlock Slough Wildlife Management Area, at 302 acres. West Okoboji has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
309 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to West Okoboji: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Okoboji, and how to reach them.
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 West Okoboji.
West Okoboji stands out in Iowa and nationally, with the median rent higher than most
Among households in West Okoboji, 57% are owner-occupiers, below both the Iowa town median (70%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%). Home values are up 8.4% over the year to September 2026.
| West Okoboji | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,000 a month | $911 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 57% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Protected land: nearly a third of West Okoboji
The concentration of trails for West Okoboji comes to 0.1 miles per square mile. Walkers can cover 0.2 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves locally: 3, covering 322 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Garlock Slough Wildlife Management Area | — | 302 |
| 2. Emerson Bay State Recreation Area | — | 19 |
| 3. Howard Titterington City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
West Okoboji has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Compared with 69% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in West Okoboji is higher. FEMA puts just over two thirds of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 16% to tornadoes. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Fewer of West Okoboji’s working residents work locally than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
Only 6 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than West Okoboji. This Iowa town had 108 jobs in 2023, up 42 from 2013. For West Okoboji, the average trip to work is 21 minutes.
| West Okoboji | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.8% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $66,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
How healthy West Okoboji is
No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than West Okoboji. This Iowa town beats the Iowa average on 16 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. Only 2 of the 141 Iowa towns we compare have a lower share of adults 18 to 64 who have no health insurance than West Okoboji. 45% of West Okoboji adults have high blood pressure.
| West Okoboji | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 35% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 32% | 33% |
| What stands out | West Okoboji | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 4.8% | 9.4% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 3.5% | 6.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 15.6% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about West Okoboji
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of West Okoboji; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 West Okoboji residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
About West Okoboji
City in Iowa, United States
West Okoboji is a village in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 308 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is located on West Okoboji Lake, from which it takes its name. It is part of the Iowa Great Lakes region.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,417 ft
Questions about West Okoboji
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Okoboji, IA a good place to live?
West Okoboji has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.