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Place dossier plate
SheetIA-ROCK-RAPIDS-IA · Rock Rapids, IA 2,653 pop · income 38th pct · 3 tracts
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Rock Rapids
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Rock Rapids on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Pikeville · lowest
32,917
Pikeville · lowest
32,917 median HH income
25.7% of the leader · rank #1
Wilson's Mills · near
61,677
Wilson's Mills · near
61,677 median HH income
48.2% of the leader · rank #2
Lytle · near
61,678
Lytle · near
61,678 median HH income
48.2% of the leader · rank #3
Rivesville · near
61,678
Rivesville · near
61,678 median HH income
48.2% of the leader · rank #4
Rock Rapids · this city
61,679
Rock Rapids · this city
61,679 median HH income
48.2% of the leader · rank #5
Fair Oaks · near
61,681
Fair Oaks · near
61,681 median HH income
48.2% of the leader · rank #6
Holly Hills · highest
127,989
Holly Hills · highest
127,989 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Rock Rapids on ACS population and median household income
. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 2,653.
Rock Rapids ranks in the 38th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.
38th
percentile, household income
45th
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this
Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.
Data Snapshot: Rock Rapids, IA
2,653 people live in Rock Rapids, Iowa - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Rock Rapids brings in $61,679 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 2.9%. Rock Rapids's housing stock carries a median value of $207,700, and the median resident age is 42.1 years. 21.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 62.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 27 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 350% from five years earlier. The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 46.0°F with 29.3 inches of precipitation per year and 34.9 inches of snowfall.
Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Iowa at 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $989 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Iowa run around $212, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 39.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Rock Rapids's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from housing and income to population change to comparison shortlist to schools and households to climate and hazard context to within-city variation to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Rock Rapids, city-specific coverage includes local building permits, annual population history, within-city Census tract profiles, commute-mode shares, matched public-school count.
No matched row is reported here for FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.
Question 1
How far does income reach against housing in Rock Rapids?
The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.4 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 2.9%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.
Is Rock Rapids growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +120 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +4.6% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 27 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Which cities make useful reference points for Rock Rapids?
Within Iowa, the closest population matches are Hawarden (2,674 residents, $69,375 income); Belmond (2,678 residents, $58,750 income); Kalona (2,679 residents, $72,766 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Hartford, KY (2,653 residents); West Wyoming, PA (2,653 residents); Pikeville, TN (2,653 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.
What can 3 Census tracts reveal inside Rock Rapids?
That layer breaks the citywide income, rent, and home-value medians into smaller Census geographies, which can reveal differences that one municipal median necessarily hides. A tract is a statistical area, not a locally defined neighborhood or a promise about conditions on a particular block. Start with the city profile for the broad comparison, then use the tract layer to test whether the same housing and income pattern is consistent across the city. Large within-city spreads are a reason to avoid treating any citywide median as a universal resident experience.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Schools and households
What does the education layer cover for Rock Rapids?
The NCES join finds 2 public schools within the city match. 21.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
The matched institution count is small, so district boundaries and schools outside the city line may matter more than the municipal count suggests. Use the number as a coverage cue, then verify attendance zones with the district before making a household decision.
Matched public schools
2
Bachelor's degree+
21.0%
Poverty estimate
2.9%
NCES Common Core of Data school locations plus Census ACS resident characteristics.
What physical conditions frame life in Rock Rapids?
NOAA normals put the annual mean temperature at 46.0°F, with 29.3 inches of precipitation and 34.9 inches of annual snowfall. FEMA's state-averaged National Risk Index score for Iowa is 39.7 out of 100. Climate normals describe long-run weather; the FEMA score on PlainCities is a state average of county NRI inputs and combines hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and resilience.
The two sources should not be blended into one comfort or safety score. Use the climate values for baseline conditions and the risk index as a prompt to inspect specific hazards, insurance, and local emergency guidance for a particular address.
Mean temperature
46.0°F
Annual precipitation
29.3 in
FEMA risk index (state avg)
39.7
NOAA Climate Normals and FEMA National Risk Index (state-averaged on PlainCities). Hazard context is not address-level.
What does the journey to work look like in Rock Rapids?
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 77.8%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.
Public transit
0.0%
Work from home
10.4%
Drive alone
77.8%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 1,225 workers age 16+.
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Cost of living A+
87.8 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Poverty rate B+
2.9%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Household income F
$61,679
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Bachelor's+ share F
21.0%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Violent crime N/A
N/A
No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).
Rock Rapids profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Cost of living: 94/100 (A+) · 87.8 index
Poverty rate: 79/100 (B+) · 2.9%
Household income: 37/100 (F) · $61,679
Bachelor's+ share: 37/100 (F) · 21.0%
How does Rock Rapids compare to other US cities?
Here's how Rock Rapids stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income38% higher than other cities
Home value45% pricier than other cities
Median rent11% pricier than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Rock Rapids against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Iowa only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.
Iowa-relative analysis
Median Gross Rent places Rock Rapids near the bottom of Iowa's cities
Among the 858 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Rock Rapids ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Rock Rapids only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#506 of 845
40th percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 858
0th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#122 of 849
86th percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#615 of 858
28th percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#307 of 858
64th percentile in Iowa
How in-state ranks are ordered
Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Iowa only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.
Gauge source note
38th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
How Rock Rapids's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$207,700Among the most affordablemore affordable than 55% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023
Rock Rapids's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.4×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#8,423 of 15,516
More affordable than 46% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#6,859 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)
At 3.4×, Rock Rapids sits in the moderate band:
national rank #8,423 of 15,516 and #6,859 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000).
Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$61,679Rock Rapids, IA median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Rock Rapids, IA median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Rock Rapids, IA.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)21.0%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)2.9%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)62.0%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
2,653
Median Income
$61,679
Median Home Value
$207,700
Median Age
42.1
Poverty Rate
2.9%
Labor force participation
62.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.0%
Climate
Avg Temperature
46.0°F
Annual Precipitation
29.3"
Annual Snowfall
34.9"
Schools
Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Rock Rapids's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
2,613 residents
2021
2,646 residents
2022
2,682 residents
2023
2,694 residents
2024
2,716 residents
2025
2,733 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
27
housing units authorized
Single-Family
27
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
10.2
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
6
6
0
$1.1M
2020
9
9
0
$2.1M
2021
11
11
0
$2.8M
2022
9
9
0
$2.4M
2023
6
4
2
$1.8M
2024
27
27
0
$10.7M
Permit volume increased 350% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Drive Alone
77.8%
Carpool
5.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
4.9%
Work from Home
10.4%
Other
1.5%
Based on 1,225 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
Iowa statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $212
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Iowa at $212 (electricity about $95 , water and sewer about $42 ).
These are Iowa statewide averages, not a meter reading for Rock Rapids. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
Iowa's BEA cost-of-living index is 87.8 (Well Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Rock Rapids is $989/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Iowa statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 39.7 / 100 (Very Low).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a Iowa statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Rock Rapids sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Rock Rapids compares to similar-size Iowa cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.