Storm Lake is a city in Buena Vista County, Iowa, United States. The population was 10,600 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,076 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Buena Vista County. Storm Lake is home to Buena Vista University, originally Buena Vista College. Tyson Foods operates a large hog slaughterhouse, meat packing plant, and turkey processing plant in Storm Lake.
History
Storm Lake was incorporated in 1873. The city of Storm Lake is named from the lake where it is said a trapper experienced a severe storm.
Geography
Storm Lake is located in the northwestern part of the state, near its namesake Storm Lake.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.09 square miles (10.59Â km2), all of it land.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 10,600 people, 3,536 households, and 2,280 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,591.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,000.7/km2). There were 3,791 housing units at an average density of 926.9 per square mile (357.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 68.4% White, 4.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, 9.8% Asian, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 13.6% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.1% of the population.
There were 3,536 households of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.5% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.44.
The median age in the city was 30.8 years. 25.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 16.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 21.7% were from 45 to 64; and 12.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.1% male and 49.9% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,076 people, 3,466 households, and 2,207 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,521.2 people per square mile (972.6/km²). There were 3,706 housing units at an average density of 927.3 per square mile (357.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.68% White, 0.53% African American, 0.17% Native American, 7.82% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 9.55% from other races, and 2.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21.05% of the population.
There were 3,466 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.20.
Age spread 24.1% under the age of 18, 18.0% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,270, and the median income for a family was $42,236. Males had a median income of $27,321, and females of $20,869. The per capita income for the city was $15,150. About 8.0% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Storm Lake has one main school district which is composed of 1 high school, 1 middle school (grades 5-8), and 1 elementary school (grades K-4), and an early childhood center. The new elementary school opened in 2009 and replaced four separate elementary buildings. There is also a private K-12 school district system run by St. Mary's Catholic Church.
The school district has an increasingly diverse community. As of the 2008-2009 school year the Storm Lake Community School District served 2028 students with four elementary schools (PK-4), one middle school (5-8), and one high school (9-12). Since 1994-95, the school has experienced an increase in enrollment and the racial makeup of the district has changed from 82% white to 31% white and the number of ELL students has increased from 319 to 1110. Approximately 67% of the district’s students receive free or reduced lunch and 12% receive special education services. In the school district, over 50% of students are hispanic, and over 10% are Asian. Most students are coming from California and rural areas of Mexico because of new job opportunities. And because 40% of the district's students are migrant, the schools struggle to match needs set by the No Child Left Behind Act. However, the school district is known throughout the state for its excellence in fine arts. In 2003, the Iowa Music Educators Association (IMEA) awarded Storm Lake the Exemplary Music Program of the year. In 2006, Buena Vista University created a documentary about the Storm Lake music program and its accomplishments called "Notes: A Noteworthy Story of Music." Storm Lake schools also excel in art, speech, and the National History Day competition.
Emergency services
The Storm Lake Police Department (SLPD) provides law enforcement services to the city of Storm Lake, Iowa. The department currently consists of 19 sworn officers, 2 community services officer, and 2 park rangers. The department responded to 51,148 calls of service in 2009. The current Chief is Mark Prosser.
The department is headquartered at 401 E. Milwaukee Ave., Storm Lake, IA 50588.
The SLPD patrol division has 13 officers. Each patrol is supervised by a lieutenant. These officers patrol in a patrol vehicle, on bike, or on foot. There is currently one K9 officer who assists the department as well as partner agencies with narcotics detection, suspect apprehension, evidence and subject searches, building searches, and crowd control.
The department also has an investigative division, administrative division, narcotics unit, and a SWAT team.
The police department also has a park ranger program. These rangers patrol the parks around the lake in the city. They serve as the eyes and ears of the department in these areas and report any crimes. They also provide backup to police officers in the area.
The department was also honored by the VERA Institute for best practices in a multilingual community.
Storm Lake Police Department
Health care
Storm Lake is served by Buena Vista Regional Medical Center, a 54-bed critical access hospital. The city also hosts Buena Vista County Public Health Department.
Other information
- Art Cullen, editor and co-owner of the Storm Lake Times, won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in editorial writing, for his 2016 editorials on corporate farming. The Pulitzer board said Cullen's writing was "fueled by tenacious reporting, impressive expertise and engaging writing that successfully challenged powerful corporate agricultural interests in Iowa."
- The Living Heritage Tree Museum is located on the shores of Storm Lake. Storm Lake was mentioned in an episode during the second season of M*A*S*H, in which Radar sold shoes from the Style Right Shoe Company. The fictional company was based in Storm Lake.
- In the novelization of the film Star Trek, Storm Lake is the location of the Shipyard Bar where Nyota Uhura met James T. Kirk.
Notable people
- Skip Carnine (born 1941), retired educator and Storm Lake native; Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Rogers, Arkansas
- Art Cullen, editor of the Storm Lake Times, won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing.
- Joe Decker (1947â€"2003), Major League Baseball player
- Janet Dailey, romance novelist
- George B. French, actor
- Edmund B. Gregory, Lieutenant General in the United States Army
- Julie Gutz (born 1926), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
- Gene Hackman, Oscar-winning actor resided here in 1945; reference Storm Lake "Breeze" yearbook 1945, 10th grade
- Winton Hoch, Oscar-winning cinematographer
- Marjorie Holmes (1910â€"2002), author of hundreds of magazine articles and several novels most notable Two From Galilee
- Frederic O. MacCartney (1864-1903), Massachusetts socialist politician, graduate of Storm Lake High School
References
External links
- Storm Lake Portal style website City government, Chamber of Commerce, Business and more
- School district website
- Storm Lake Pilot-Tribune
- Storm Lake Times
- Storm Lake Fishing
- City Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Storm Lake, Iowa