States › Iowa › Spirit Lake

Is Spirit Lake, IA expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 17 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,00743% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$70,879about $5,907/month · 19% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$215,10035% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 87% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.0 years of household income. Commutes are short, about 13.4 minutes.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $40,280 a year. That is $19 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Iowa cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Iowa. It is number 34 of 86 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Spirit Lake
$1,007
Osceola
$1,026
Red Oak
$898
DeWitt
$1,056
Sheldon
$1,051
Winterset
$1,128
Anamosa
$1,007

How much do households earn in Spirit Lake?

Under $25k
23.2%
$25k–50k
21.5%
$50k–100k
38.8%
$100k–150k
13.1%
$150k+
3.1%

Share of households by yearly income. 16.3% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Spirit Lake

SizeSpirit LakeU.S. average
1 bedroom$984$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,028$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,709$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Spirit Lake overall?

Everyday prices in Iowa overall are 12% below the U.S. average (index 87.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
65
Goods (food, clothes…)
94
Utilities
83
Other services
93
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Spirit Lake, so the Iowa figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Spirit Lake

🏛️ Property tax$2,262a year · 1.05% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$153a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Spirit Lake

Commute to work13.4 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree26.8%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home67.5%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line6.3%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.1%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Spirit Lake?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $485 a month less.

Renting
$1,007
Owning
$1,492

Owning assumes a typical $215,100 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $21,510 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Spirit Lake, IA?

Renting in Spirit Lake costs a median of about $1,007 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Iowa median is $1,071.

How much do I need to make to live in Spirit Lake?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $40,280 a year, or $19 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Spirit Lake cheap or expensive?

Spirit Lake is rated Cheap: rent takes 17.0% of the typical household income of $70,879. It ranks 34th cheapest of 86 Iowa cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Spirit Lake?

The median homeowner in Spirit Lake pays $2,262 a year in property taxes, about 1.05% of the median home value.

Is Spirit Lake more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Iowa are 12% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Spirit Lake?

The median home value in Spirit Lake is $215,100, about 3.0 times the typical yearly household income.

5,518 people live in Spirit Lake. Numbers are typical (middle) values.