Carter Lake, IA vs Storm Lake, IA

Storm Lake is moderately more affordable than Carter Lake, with a 12.8% lower cost of living index. Carter Lake scores 79 compared to 70 for Storm Lake, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Carter Lake can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Carter Lake is $1,115/month compared to $830/month in Storm Lake — a 34% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Storm Lake has cheaper rent, Carter Lake actually has lower median home values ($161,200 vs $163,600).

Median household income in Carter Lake is $75,037 compared to $58,341 in Storm Lake (+28.6%). While Carter Lake is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Carter Lake spend roughly 17.8% of their income on rent, more than the 17.1% in Storm Lake.