Is Rock Valley, IA a Good Place to Live?
Rock Valley is a small town of 4,045 in Iowa, with a median household income of $63,485 and a 0.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.
Strengths: Rock Valley stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Rock Valley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Rock Valley city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 93.0Rock Valley's overall cost of living index is 93.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Rock Valley costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Rock Valley, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $203,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $903 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $63,485 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeRock Valley's violent crime rate is 45.9 per 100,000 residents — 88% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Rock Valley is served primarily by Rock Valley Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Rock Valley, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Rock Valley Comm School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 21.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 89.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Rock Valley sees average highs of 27.4°F in January and 84.8°F in July, with 29.5 inches of annual precipitation and 34.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Rock Valley, IA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 27.4°F |
| Average High — July | 84.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 29.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Rock Valley, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,045 | — |
| Median Age | 41.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 0.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 12.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Rock Valley
Rock Valley, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: