Storm Lake, IA housing market
The typical Storm Lake home is worth about $178,000, about the same as a year ago, 26% below the Iowa typical home. Homes typically sell in 45 days, below asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Storm Lake compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Storm Lake at a glance
A seller's market
Supply is tight — about 3.1 months of homes for sale at the current pace. Buyers should expect competition on well-priced homes.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Storm Lake | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $104,000 | $147,000 |
| 2018 | $111,000 | $152,000 |
| 2019 | $118,000 | $159,000 |
| 2020 | $127,000 | $167,000 |
| 2021 | $137,000 | $179,000 |
| 2022 | $150,000 | $195,000 |
| 2023 | $164,000 | $211,000 |
| 2024 | $173,000 | $218,000 |
| 2025 | $176,000 | $228,000 |
| 2026 | $180,000 | $236,000 |
| August 2026 | $178,000 | $240,000 |
2 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 2 new homes in Storm Lake in 2025, all single-family houses. That's 0.2 per 1,000 residents, slower than across Iowa (4.7). Over the past 10 years, Storm Lake has permitted 401 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Storm Lake gained 669 residents while 129 new homes were permitted: about 5.2 new residents per new home. Population grew faster than building, so existing homes filled up: a sign of tight supply. Across Iowa: 1.3 new residents per new home.
How Storm Lake ranks on housing keeping up with growth →
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 1 | 1 | 0 | $480,000 |
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $850,000 |
| 2024 | 153 | 80 | 73 | $33.6 million |
| 2023 | 10 | 6 | 4 | $2 million |
| 2022 | 77 | 77 | 0 | $8.4 million |
| 2021 | 109 | 11 | 98 | $11.9 million |
| 2020 | 20 | 16 | 4 | $3.3 million |
| 2019 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1.2 million |
| 2018 | 14 | 14 | 0 | $2 million |
| 2017 | 7 | 7 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2016 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $205,000 |
| 2015 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $775,000 |
| 2014 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| 2013 | 80 | 48 | 32 | $10.4 million |
| 2012 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1.2 million |
| 2011 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $554,000 |
| 2010 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $643,000 |
| 2009 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| 2008 | 11 | 8 | 3 | $774,000 |
| 2007 | 90 | 13 | 77 | $11.6 million |
| 2006 | 10 | 10 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2005 | 7 | 7 | 0 | $727,000 |
| 2004 | 9 | 5 | 4 | $609,000 |
| 2003 | 46 | 4 | 42 | $4.6 million |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $532,000 |
| 2000 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $532,000 |
How Storm Lake ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Storm Lake and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storm Lake | $178K | −0.3% | $1,010 | 2 | $62,765 |
| Lakeside | $205K | −0.9% | $1,010 | 6 | $106,250 |
2.8 years of income
The typical Storm Lake home costs about 2.8 years of the town's median household income, less than across Iowa (3.2 years).
How Storm Lake ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,010
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Storm Lake is $1,010 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Storm Lake pay a median of $898, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 19% of the town's median household income.
Studio $770 · 4 bedrooms $1,340
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (50588; Buena Vista County, IA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.