Signals
Storm Lake
Carroll
Growth
18 · Bottom 8%
vs18 · Bottom 8%
Climate
55 · Bottom 10%
vs56 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 38%
vs82 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
58 · Bottom 20%
vs58 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
89 · Top 4%
vs88 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Storm Lake | Carroll | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,753 | 20,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,719 | $72,930 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,666 | $40,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 36/sq mi | 36/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $159,500 | $176,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $894 | $731 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.2% | 77.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 24.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 21 | 21 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -77.4% | -22.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 10°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 26.8" | 33.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 67 mi | 71 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.3 min | 16.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 41.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Storm Lake
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Carroll
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, strong wind, cold wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Storm Lake
64
Your Score
—
Area Score
Carroll
67
Your Score
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Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Storm Lake, IA Micro Area · Carroll, IA Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology