Gruver vs Spirit Lake
Gruver, Iowa versus Spirit Lake, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Gruver edges out Spirit Lake on overall objective livability (51 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Gruver | Spirit Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $70k |
| Cost of Living | $42k | $46k |
| Home Value | $48k | $197k |
| Monthly Rent | — | $891 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $25 | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.50% | 1.16% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.62% | 11.55% |
| Unemployment | 0.0% | 1.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 15°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.7 in | 29.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 37.1 in | 41.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 224 days | 255 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 84 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 86.6 | 61.5 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.9 | 44.3 |
| Violent Crime | 676/100k | 1762/100k |
| Property Crime | 429/100k | 1909/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 47 | 5,409 |
| Median Age | 63.3 | 40.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.00 | 0.15 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.14 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | R+36 | R+34 |
| White (%) | 91.5% | 91.7% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.5% | 2.4% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.0% | 5.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 6.1/20 | 7.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 127 mi | 138 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 80.8% | 81.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 212.77 | 153.45 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Gruver or Spirit Lake more affordable?
- Gruver has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Gruver's $42k and Spirit Lake's $46k.
- Is Gruver or Spirit Lake safer?
- Gruver has the lower violent crime rate. Gruver reports 676/100k and Spirit Lake reports 1762/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Gruver or Spirit Lake?
- The median home value is $48k in Gruver and $197k in Spirit Lake, so homes are more affordable in Gruver.