Is Rockwell City, IA a Good Place to Live?
Rockwell City is a small town of 2,389 in Iowa, with a median household income of $52,688 and a 3.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 87 (US average = 100), which is 13% below the national average.
Strengths: Rockwell City 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 Rockwell City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Rockwell City 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: 87.0Rockwell City's overall cost of living index is 87.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Rockwell City costs roughly 13% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Rockwell City, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $82,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $748 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $52,688 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Rockwell City is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Rockwell City is served primarily by South Central Calhoun Comm School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Rockwell City, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | South Central Calhoun Comm School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 12.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 90.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Rockwell City sees average highs of 26.5°F in January and 82.9°F in July, with 33.8 inches of annual precipitation and 32.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Rockwell City, IA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 26.5°F |
| Average High — July | 82.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Rockwell City, IA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,389 | — |
| Median Age | 38.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 20.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 88.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.6% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 17.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Rockwell City
Rockwell City, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: