Storm Lake receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Storm Lake
Marshalltown
Opportunity
66 · Top 30%
vs56 · Bottom 49%
Growth
24 · Bottom 11%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 44%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
14 · Bottom 5%
vs26 · Bottom 17%
Access
61 · Bottom 7%
vs75 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Storm Lake | Marshalltown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,428 | 27,626 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,765 | $69,068 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,603 | $30,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,106/sq mi | 1,439/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $172,200 | $127,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $898 | $891 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.3% | 68.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.9% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 20.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.0% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -96.2% | -62.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 10°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 32.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 63 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 11.6 min | 18.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.9 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.58 | 13.99 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.6% | 53.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.3% | 49.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.1% | 75.5% | 2024-25 school 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.
Marshalltown
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Storm Lake
57
Your Score
57
Area Score
Marshalltown
56
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Storm Lake, IA · Marshalltown, IA · How this is calculated: methodology