Population 8,524 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Clear Lake
Household size in Clear Lake
| Period | Clear Lake | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.17 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.21 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.28 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.12 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Clear Lake is a place of small households, averaging 2.12 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.17, in line with the national trend. Of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people, only six have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Clear Lake
| Period | Clear Lake | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.4 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.3 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.1 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.9 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.5 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 50.9, Clear Lake is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.4, a much bigger shift than nationally. No other Iowa city with 5,000+ people is older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Clear Lake
| Period | Clear Lake | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.8% of households in Clear Lake, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 3.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 98 Iowa cities with 5,000+ people, only seven have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Clear Lake
Renters in Clear Lake
| Period | Clear Lake | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.7% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.7% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.1% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.1% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Clear Lake is largely a place of homeowners: only 24.1% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About half of owners (48.5%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Clear Lake
| Period | Clear Lake | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.8% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.8% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Clear Lake: 20.8% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 3.9 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Clear Lake
| Period | Clear Lake | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Clear Lake is a place of older homes: half were built before 1971, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1964 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Clear Lake
| Period | Clear Lake | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $564 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $589 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $670 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $899 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$335 | +$351 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Clear Lake costs $899 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $335 a month from 2006–10, a 59% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 22.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Clear Lake
Bachelor's degrees in Clear Lake
| Period | Clear Lake | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.0% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.1% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Clear Lake than nationally: 31.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the northwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Clear Lake
| Period | Clear Lake | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.6% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.0% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.6% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Clear Lake: 97.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Clear Lake has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Iowa cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Clear Lake
| Period | Clear Lake | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.9% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.3% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Clear Lake has been low: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.5 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Clear Lake compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Lake | 2.12 | 50.9 | 5.8% | 24.1% | 20.8% | 1971 | $899 | 31.1% | 97.6% | 2.3% |
| Ventura | 2.23 | 49.8 | 4.1% | 14.0% | 42.6% | 1970 | $1,546 | 44.6% | 95.3% | 1.4% |
| Emery | 2.39 | 41.7 | 7.0% | 32.4% | 10.4% | 1964 | $666 | 30.5% | 96.5% | 1.7% |
| Fertile | 2.20 | 53.0 | 5.7% | 9.8% | 9.7% | 1956 | $820 | 25.1% | 95.8% | 1.5% |
| Mason City | 2.09 | 45.0 | 11.1% | 34.0% | 12.6% | 1960 | $896 | 22.7% | 94.2% | 3.2% |
| Swaledale | 2.40 | 49.9 | 4.7% | 14.4% | 22.6% | 1954 | $1,004 | 27.2% | 94.9% | 6.3% |
| Freeman | 2.68 | 37.3 | 5.0% | 39.5% | 2.3% | 1961 | $524 | 38.0% | 98.1% | 1.2% |
| Miller | 2.15 | 51.9 | 8.5% | 11.4% | 6.4% | 1971 | $1,121 | 23.1% | 89.7% | 2.3% |
| Hanlontown | 2.31 | 49.5 | 5.7% | 10.6% | 10.1% | 1939 | $881 | 24.0% | 96.7% | 1.3% |
| Garner | 2.18 | 48.5 | 10.5% | 18.3% | 4.4% | 1969 | $817 | 20.8% | 90.6% | 2.0% |
| Portland | 2.43 | 42.0 | 4.0% | 28.1% | 11.3% | 1981 | $959 | 28.0% | 90.3% | 0.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Park Forest Village, PA · Lisbon, OH · Livingston, TN · Lochbuie, CO · Lodi, WI · Lorena, TX · Louisburg, KS · Maplewood, MO · Maylene, AL · Moyock, NC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Clear Lake. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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