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Clear Lake, IA

City in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. ZIP codes: 50428.

Population

7,607

Land area

10.8sq mi

People per sq mi

706

ZIP codes

1

Clear Lake and its ZIP codes

Full map

Clear Lake at a glance

  • Clear Lake is about 12 times as dense as Iowa as a whole.
  • By population, it ranks 52nd among 1,017 cities and towns in Iowa.
  • The median household income is $79,415, 6% above the Iowa median of $75,059.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $259,500 (25% above Iowa) and median rent is $808 a month.

Local data for Clear Lake, IA

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Clear Lake, IA, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$79,415

Poverty rate

8.3%

Median home value

$259,500

Median rent

$808/mo

Homeownership

76.3%

Bachelor's or higher

30.5%

Median age

49.1

Average commute

18.6 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (2,771), Norwegian Americans (1,042), Irish Americans (746).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Cerro Gordo County. PPP loans are for Clear Lake.

Details

Unemployment rate

3.0%

Sep 2026, +0.1 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$56,649

23,463 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$80,093

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$348M

FY 2026, $8,070 per person

PPP loans

$33.6M

661 loans, 3,904 jobs reported

Cerro Gordo County economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Clear Lake, IA, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone79.3%
  • Carpooled6.0%
  • Public transit1.2%
  • Walked2.4%
  • Bicycle0.4%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.4%
  • Worked from home10.2%

Average one-way commute: 18.6 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Clear Lake, IA, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Low

Top: drought

Storm events since 1996

749

Countywide, mostly thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

80

0.4% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

83° / 7°F

36.3 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone4 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Clear Lake, IA, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

39.2%

U.S. 33.3% +5.9 pts

Diabetes

12.5%

U.S. 12.1% about the same

Smoking

14.4%

U.S. 12.8% +1.6 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

5.9%

U.S. 11.1% -5.2 pts

ZIP codes in Clear Lake

1 in or overlapping Clear Lake. Population shown

·

Cities near Clear Lake

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
VenturaCity4.2 mi1.8
BurchinalCensus-designated place7 mi0.1
FertileCity9.1 mi0.9
Mason CityCity9.5 mi28.2
HanlontownCity10 mi1
SwaledaleCity11 mi0.2
GarnerCity12 mi2.1
MillerCensus-designated place12 mi2.1
PortlandCensus-designated place12 mi1
ThorntonCity13 mi1.2
ManlyCity14 mi1.4
KlemmeCity14 mi0.5
RockwellCity14 mi3
PlymouthCity15 mi0.4
Forest CityCity15 mi4.6
Rock FallsCity16 mi0.2

Frequently asked questions

What county is Clear Lake, IA in?
Clear Lake is in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa.
What ZIP codes are in Clear Lake, IA?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Clear Lake include 50428.
What is the population of Clear Lake, IA?
About 7,607 people live in Clear Lake, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Clear Lake?
Nearby places include Ventura (4.2 mi), Burchinal (7 mi), Fertile (9.1 mi), Mason City (9.5 mi), Hanlontown (10 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023

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