Small-town market profile · Iowa
Storm Lake, IA area market data
How the Storm Lake area compares with other small-town markets for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 20,449
- −1.7% since 2020
- Households
- 7,546
- Median household income
- $71,719
- +25.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $159,500
- Jobs located here
- 11,467
- Highest market score
- 75
- Auto repair shops, #42 of 538 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Storm Lake area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Storm Lake area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Storm Lake area has an estimated 20,449 people and 7,546 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Storm Lake area from 2020 to 2025 at −1.7%, against +3.1% for the U.S. Median household income in the Storm Lake area is $71,719, 11% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 25.6%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Storm Lake area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 124, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (64).
Of the business types scored in the Storm Lake area, auto repair shops (75), fast food and sandwich shops (75) and auto repair and car care businesses (71) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For auto repair shops, that ranks #42 of 538 scored small-town markets.
The Storm Lake area is made up of one county, Buena Vista County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for convenience stores (83% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate businesses (59% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Storm Lake area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Storm Lake area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto repair shops | 75 | #42 of 538 | 15 | 19.9 | $597K | 134 | 6 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 75 | #53 of 537 | 8 | 10.6 | $3.6M | 117 | 8 |
| Auto repair and car care | 71 | #76 of 538 | 33 | 43.7 | $272K | 101 | 7 |
| Pet businesses | 67 | #79 of 527 | 6 | 8.0 | $1M | 117 | Under 3 |
| Real estate | 65 | #88 of 536 | 12 | 15.9 | Index only | 200 | 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 61 | #157 of 538 | 50 | 66.3 | $209K | 137 | 17 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 59 | #159 of 507 | 6 | 8.0 | $4.8M | 115 | 3 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 59 | #180 of 538 | 85 | 112.6 | $336K | 91 | 22 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 53 | #221 of 533 | 12 | 15.9 | Index only | 159 | 3 |
| Pizza | 52 | #237 of 520 | 10 | 13.3 | $2.9M | 56 | 8 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 52 | #251 of 538 | 48 | 63.6 | $595K | 90 | 10 |
| Gas stations | 48 | #300 of 536 | 11 | 14.6 | $2.1M | 87 | 13 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 45 | #339 of 535 | 11 | 14.6 | $572K | 86 | Under 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 44 | #332 of 529 | 11 | 14.6 | $2.6M | 70 | 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 40 | #383 of 538 | 22 | 29.2 | $2.1M | 61 | 5 |
| Gyms | 39 | #369 of 506 | 7 | 9.3 | $898K | 69 | Under 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 39 | #398 of 538 | 33 | 43.7 | $222K | 105 | 8 |
| Convenience stores | 38 | #385 of 529 | 11 | 14.6 | $4.1M | 52 | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 36 | #335 of 441 | 6 | 8.0 | $1.5M | 59 | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 36 | #402 of 504 | 9 | 11.9 | $815K | 93 | Under 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 31 | #435 of 536 | 22 | 29.2 | $657K | 75 | 10 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 30 | #443 of 536 | 17 | 22.5 | $850K | 67 | 10 |
| Hair salons | 30 | #473 of 538 | 21 | 27.8 | $349K | 81 | 7 |
| Grocery stores | 29 | #432 of 506 | 8 | 10.6 | $5.6M | 61 | 5 |
| Home repair trades | 28 | #483 of 526 | 13 | 17.2 | $1.6M | 64 | 17 |
| Chiropractors | 24 | #409 of 426 | 9 | 11.9 | $1.2M | 48 | 6 |
| Electricians | 21 | #286 of 295 | 7 | 9.3 | $2.9M | 24 | 8 |
| Insurance agencies | 17 | #506 of 537 | 15 | 19.9 | $927K | 74 | 20 |
| Child care and preschools | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $703K | 70 | 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $2.6M | 265 | 5 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $296K | 44 | 6 |
| HVAC and plumbing | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $5.1M | 106 | 9 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $2.3M | 78 | 7 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $2.3M | 136 | 12 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $1.6M | 78 | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $2.6M | 108 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 4.0 | $3M | 119 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $4.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $7.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $3.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $5.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $3.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $10.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $7.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $14.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $6.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $10.4M | Too few | 6 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $6.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 5 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Storm Lake area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $9M | $1,188 | 124 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $22.8M | $3,021 | 116 |
| Food away from home | $28.5M | $3,782 | 93 |
| Groceries | $45.2M | $5,988 | 95 |
| Personal care products and services | $7.3M | $972 | 97 |
| Child care and other personal services | $2.8M | $373 | 64 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $6.3M | $833 | 85 |
| Medical and dental services | $10.4M | $1,382 | 107 |
| Pets | $6.2M | $817 | 90 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $14.5M | $1,915 | 93 |
| Vehicle insurance | $13.9M | $1,843 | 94 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $20.2M | $2,677 | 89 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $9.1M | $1,211 | 86 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $104.2M | $13,804 | 83 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Storm Lake area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 20,449−1.7% since 2020
- Households
- 7,546
- Median age
- 36.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 73%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 575 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 36
- Median household income
- $71,719+25.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $94,361
- Median home value
- $159,500
- Jobs located here
- 11,467
- Daytime population
- 22,374Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Storm Lake area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Storm Lake area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Storm Lake area 1
- Buena Vista County, IA20,753 people
Other markets based in Iowa 12
- Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area731,120 people
- Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area381,503 people
- Cedar Rapids, IA metro area276,624 people
- Iowa City, IA metro area179,200 people
- Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area168,637 people
- Sioux City, IA-NE-SD metro area144,682 people
- Ames, IA metro area127,134 people
- Dubuque, IA metro area99,030 people
- Mason City, IA area49,982 people
- Clinton, IA area46,268 people
- Burlington, IA-IL area44,680 people
- Muscatine, IA area42,559 people
Questions
How fast is the Storm Lake, IA area growing?
Population estimates put the Storm Lake area at 20,449 people in 2025, down 1.7% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 7,546 households. Median household income rose 25.6% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Storm Lake, IA area spend?
Households in the Storm Lake area spend about $104.2M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $45.2M on groceries and $28.5M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Storm Lake area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 124, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (64).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Storm Lake, IA area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Storm Lake area are for auto repair shops (75), fast food and sandwich shops (75) and auto repair and car care businesses (71). The Storm Lake area ranks #42 of 538 scored small-town markets for auto repair shops.
How does the Storm Lake, IA area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Storm Lake area is $71,719 a year, 11% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 1.7% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $159,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Storm Lake area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for convenience stores (83% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate businesses (59% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 28 of the 56 business types have a score in the Storm Lake area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Storm Lake area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Storm Lake area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Storm Lake area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.