2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 1,126 people, 590 households, and 334 families living in the city. The population density was 717.2 inhabitants per square mile (276.9/km²). There were 1,516 housing units at an average density of 965.6 per square mile (372.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.1% White, 0.2% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3%.^[8]

Of the 590 households 11.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 4.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.4% were non-families. 35.1% of households were one person and 15.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.90 and the average family size was 2.38.

The median age was 56.6 years. 10.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17% were from 25 to 44; 35.4% were from 45 to 64; and 32.1% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.5% male and 48.5% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 1,162 people, 580 households, and 349 families living in the city. The population density was 896.1 inhabitants per square mile (346.0/km²). There were 1,147 housing units at an average density of 884.5 per square mile (341.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.50% White, 0.26% African American, 0.77% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.09% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.17%.^[9]

Of the 580 households 17.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 33.4% of households were one person and 14.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.50.

The age distribution was 15.5% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 31.6% from 45 to 64, and 23.8% 65 or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median household income was $35,441 and the median family income was $43,594. Males had a median income of $29,211 versus $20,766 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,072. About 3.9% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Arnolds Park Amusement Park

Passengers leaving the 'Hiawatha' at
Arnold's Park on West Okobji Lake (1883)

Arnolds Park is in the center of the Iowa Great Lakes resort region. It is home to a historic amusement park, also called Arnolds Park, which features Legend, An ACE Coaster Landmark.^[10] Legend, which carried its first riders in 1927, is believed to be the 13th oldest wooden roller coaster in the U.S. In 2012 the amusement park was selected as one of the fifteen best in the Midwest region by Midwest Living magazine.^[11]

Other landmarks

Other major landmarks of the city include the Central Emporium shopping mall and the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum and the Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

Rock'n'Roll has a storied history in the area. The old Roof Garden Ballroom in Arnolds Park, on West Lake Okoboji, for example, once attracted the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, the Guess Who and even country music legend, Johnny Cash, according to The Daily Globe, a Worthington, Minnesota-based newspaper.^[12] The Coney Island-style dance hall was housed on the second floor of a two-story wooden structure (the first floor housed a gift shop and a funhouse, the latter extending into an adjoining structure). The original Roof Garden / Funhouse / theater was razed in 1987, during a transition of ownership.^[13]

One musician who played The Roof Garden said BJ Thomas, during a pre-show rehearsal, tossed sheet music in Burt Bacharach's own handwriting to the band so they could rehearse, "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head."^[14] "Musical magic seemed to happen all the time in Arnolds Park", says one article.^[15] A new Roof Garden debuted in 2019 near its original location in the amusement park and closely resembles the iconic original, including the name in letters large enough to be seen across the lake.^[13]

Located in Arnolds Park is the Abbie Gardner Sharp Cabin Museum, a site of the 1857 "Spirit Lake Massacre", a violent conflict between European settlers and Native Americans. Next to the cabin is the small Pillsbury Point State Park.