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Carter Lake

Carter Lake

Suburban Neighborhood in Iowa

Pottawattamie County 51510

Neighborhood Reviews
2.0
$248,860 Average Value
$136 Average Price per Sq Ft
4 Homes For Sale

North of downtown Omaha

In the late 19th century, a flood permanently altered the direction of the Missouri River, removing the natural border between Nebraska and Iowa on Carter Lake's south side. As a result, today this is the only city in Iowa west of the river. Carter Lake is just north of downtown Omaha and south and west of Eppley Airfield. "I don’t know if its cause I'm immune to it because I've lived here my whole life, but I don't think it's noisy and I live right across from the airport," says Kendra Hollenback, the director of the Carter Lake Community Center. "A good word for Carter Lake would be generational. You have great grandmothers and great grandchildren here." Locals enjoy a collection of waterside parks within minutes of houses. A big employer of the area is the Prairie Flower Casino.

Carter Lake homes sell quickly

While the median home sale price in Carter Lake is around $270,000, entry points can be as low as $80,000 for a just over 1,000 square foot rehab project to as high as $700,000 for a home on the lake. Properties tend to be ranch-style, modest Neo Traditionals and minimal traditionals, but Carter Lake does have one mobile home subdivision. Some neighbors have iron fences, and some roads have a little more wear and tear than others. More and more people are becoming attracted to Carter Lakes small-town community near downtown convenience. Homes tend to sell after just 10 days on the market, faster than the national average of 41.

Council Bluffs Community School District

The Council Bluffs Community School District serves students. They may begin at Carter Lake Elementary School, rated B minus by Niche. Located in the center of Carter Lake, some residents can easily walk to this school from home. Later, junior high students attend Woodrow Wilson Middle School before heading to Thomas Jefferson High School. Both of these schools maintain a C Niche rating. The high school's Promise Program opens the door to full-ride scholarships. Several faith-based private options exist nearby, including the all-male Jesuit Academy.

Lunch at Jonesys taco house

Carter Lake has a small shopping center at the intersection of Locust Street and North 13th Street with a Dollar General, Kwik Shop convenience store and local treasure Jonesys taco house. It's a favorite for fried tacos and the owners give back by sponsoring community events. "Not having a grocery store is a complaint of many," Hollenback says. Currently, locals travel to Council Bluffs for their Walmart and Hy-vee. Downtown Omaha, 3 miles south via Abbott Drive, has a vibrant restaurant and shopping scene and a large urban park with an amphitheater and playground. There is no public bus transportation but locals can get some places locally on foot or bike. The airport is always there for trips long and far.

Catching catfish at Carter Lake Park

"We have eight different parks. Maybury is the most popular one. There are shelters, pavilions, a playground, a basketball court and a dock for the boats. There's also a fishing jetty," Hollenback says. "People fish all day long. We also hold an annual fishing derby at our parks where kids get to fish for free; we provide the bait and pole." Other notable parks include Carter Lake, which has a splash pad, and Wavecrest, which has a swimming beach. "We also have a beautiful baseball facility where we host triple crown every year, the nation's largest youth baseball tournament." Some locals complain about glass and litter at the area parks. "Like any park, you have people who come and vandalize it but our grounds crew does an amazing job of cleaning up." Carter Lake Community Center on Willow Drive has a 24/7 access fitness center located in the same building at Carter Lake Public Library. Skaters also enjoy the Carter Lake Skatepark.

Carter Lake Days

"We have a huge annual event – Carter Lake Days – usually held the last weekend in July," says Hollenback. "It begins on Friday with a family night of games and the community annual kickball game. On Saturday there is a parade, festival, live music and fireworks." Locations range from the Carter Lake Ballfields to Maybury Park but the parade circles the whole city.

Kathryn Ashworth
Written By
Kathryn Ashworth
Seth Johanson
Photography Contributed By
Seth Johanson
Timothy Cerva
Video By
Timothy Cerva

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Schools

Source:
GreatSchools: The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Tim Reeder, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Parks in this Area

Transit

Airport

Eppley Airfield

6 min drive

Bus

Abbott Dr & Ave H SE

Bus

Abbott Dr & Owen Pkwy SE

Bus

Abbott Dr & Owen Pkwy NW

Bus

Abbott Dr & Ave H NW

Reviews

Niche Reviews
2.0 2 Reviews
1.0 Former Resident
8/13/2022 Niche Review
Trailer park mentality. Tons of attitude and very little self respect. Vindictive people with fake Christian values. Lie, cheat and steal are household values, here.
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Crime and Safety

1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime Carter Lake US
Homicide 3 4
Sexual Assault 3 4
Assault with Weapon 3 4
Robbery 3 4
Burglary 3 4
Motor Vehicle Theft 3 4
Larceny 3 4
Crime Score 3 4

Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com

Demographics and Home Trends

Home Trends

Median Price (12 Mo)
$201,000
Median Single Family Price
$205,000
Median 2 Bedroom Price
$433,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$136
Number of Homes for Sale
4
Last 12 months Home Sales
43
Months of Supply
1.10
Median List Price
$216,000
Median Discount From 1st List Price
0%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-11%

Home Facts

Number of Homes in Neighborhood
602
Median Year Built
1995
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
2,046
Above the national average
1,935
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
2,409
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,255
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
7,187

Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Homes for Sale

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Tim Reeder, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Average Home Value




Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

This Neighborhood Has More Owners

Demographics

Total Population
3,692
Median Age
39
Population Density
4 ppl/acre
Population under 18
26.5%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
17.3%
On par with the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$74,334
On par with the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$87,451

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
89.5%
College Graduates
15.9%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
4.4%
Below the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
63.2%

Weather

Annual Precipitation
32''
Average Winter Low Temperature
16°F
Average Summer High Temperature
88°F
Annual Snowfall
15''

Area Factors

Bikeable

Bike Score®

55 / 100

Car-Dependent

Walk Score®

30 / 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score

Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

Nearby Neighborhoods

Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Carter Lake