Is West Okoboji, IA a Good Place to Live?
West Okoboji is a small town of 357 in Iowa, with a median household income of $68,333 and a 1.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: West Okoboji stands out for a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether West Okoboji is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All West Okoboji 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: 104.4West Okoboji's overall cost of living index is 104.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in West Okoboji costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | West Okoboji, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $543,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,067 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $68,333 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeWest Okoboji's violent crime rate is 110.1 per 100,000 residents — 71% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | West Okoboji, 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 | 38.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
West Okoboji sees average highs of 24.4°F in January and 82.6°F in July, with 29.5 inches of annual precipitation and 38.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | West Okoboji, IA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 24.4°F |
| Average High — July | 82.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 29.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | West Okoboji, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 357 | — |
| Median Age | 63.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 20.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 95.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 12.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 43.1% | 16.8% |