Clear Lake

Background Image

Clear Lake, IA Area Guide

A lakefront city brimming with natural beauty and historic charm

Picturesque Lakeside Peaceful Active Family-Friendly

Clear Lake is a picturesque small city located roughly halfway between Des Moines and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Clear Lake is centered on a sprawling 3,600-acre lake of the same name, offering a wide variety of activities for residents and visitors alike to enjoy, from boating and fishing to camping and hiking.

Clear Lake touts a small-town atmosphere, with plenty of year-round community events and a historic downtown area. Downtown Clear Lake offers an array of antique shops, specialty boutiques, and quaint eateries in a walkable locale comprised of vintage storefronts. Numerous museums preserve Clear Lake’s historic character as well, including the Surf Ballroom and Museum, Clear Lake Fire Museum, and the Iowa Trolley Park Railroad Museum. Getting around from Clear Lake is a breeze with access to U.S. 18 and I-35.

Rent Trends

As of March 2026, the average apartment rent in Clear Lake, IA is $895 for a studio, $1,215 for one bedroom, and $1,249 for two bedrooms. Apartment rent in Clear Lake has decreased by -5.7% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,215/month
744 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Clear Lake, IA

Getting Around

Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Clear Lake, IA is for everyday living.

Car-Dependent

36 / 100

This area is considered a car-dependent area and most errands will require a car.

Somewhat Bikeable

44 / 100

You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.

Schools

Clear Creek Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

Clear Lake Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

Clear Lake High School

Public

Grades 9-12

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Clear Lake State Park (IA)
  • McIntosh Woods State Park
  • Lime Creek Nature Center

Top Apartments in Clear Lake

Search Nearby Rentals

Nearby City Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.