What are the schools like in Lakota, IA?

School district data for Lakota is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the median household income in Lakota?

The median household income in Lakota, IA is $71,250 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 2.4%.

What is the weather like in Lakota, IA?

Lakota has an average high temperature of 21.9°F in January and 80.8°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 32.9 inches and annual snowfall averages 39.7 inches.

Lakota, IA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Lakota, IA affordable or expensive?

Lakota's cost of living index is 83, where 100 represents the national average. This means Lakota is 17% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $34,600 and the median rent is $766 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Lakota, IA?

Lakota has a violent crime rate of 33.8 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 47.3 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Lakota, IA a Good Place to Live?

Lakota is a small town of 288 in Iowa, with a median household income of $71,250 and a 2.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 83 (US average = 100), which is 17% below the national average.

Strengths: Lakota stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Lakota is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Lakota city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 82.9

Lakota's overall cost of living index is 82.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lakota costs roughly 17% less than the average American city.

Metric	Lakota, IA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$34,600	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$766	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	75.7%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$71,250	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Lakota's violent crime rate is 33.8 per 100,000 residents — 91% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

33.8 /100k

Property Crime

47.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric	Lakota, IA	National Avg
School District	N/A	—
Elementary Schools	N/A	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	N/A	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	6.5%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	85.9%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Lakota sees average highs of 21.9°F in January and 80.8°F in July, with 32.9 inches of annual precipitation and 39.7 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Lakota, IA
Average High — January	21.9°F
Average High — July	80.8°F
Annual Precipitation	32.9"
Annual Snowfall	39.7"

Demographics

Metric	Lakota, IA	National Avg
Population	288	—
Median Age	37.0	38.9
Unemployment Rate	2.4%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	21.7 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	92.7%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	6.3%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	31.6%	22.2%
65 and over	19.1%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Ledyard, IA 4 mi Buffalo Center, IA 8 mi Bancroft, IA 9 mi Elmore, MN 9 mi Titonka, IA 10 mi

ZIP Codes in Lakota

Lakota, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

50451

Lakota vs Other Cities

Lakota, IA vs Ledyard, IA Lakota, IA vs Buffalo Center, IA Lakota, IA vs Bancroft, IA Lakota, IA vs Elmore, MN Lakota, IA vs Titonka, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lakota, IA affordable or expensive?

Lakota's cost of living index is 83, where 100 is the national average. That makes Lakota roughly 17% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $34,600 and median rent is $766/month.

What is the crime rate in Lakota, IA?

Lakota's violent crime rate is 33.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 47.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Lakota?

School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.

Is Lakota, IA a good place to live?

Lakota, IA has a population of 288, a median household income of $71,250, and an unemployment rate of 2.4%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Lakota?

Lakota averages 21.9°F in January and 80.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 32.9 inches with about 39.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Lakota?

Lakota, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 50451.

What is the population of Lakota?

The population of Lakota, Iowa is 288 with a median age of 37.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Lakota?

Key numbers for living in Lakota: cost of living index 83 (100 = US average), median home $34,600, median household income $71,250, crime index 6 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Lakota side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.