City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Rockwell, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Rockwell - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

942
Residents
$58,850
Median income
$142,600
Median home
$949
Median rent (state)

Rockwell - the verdict

Nationally, Rockwell sits in the 33rd percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

33rd
percentile, household income
24th
percentile, home value
10th
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: Rockwell, IA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 942 residents in Rockwell, a small town within Iowa. Median household income here is $58,850 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.4%. Typical homes in Rockwell are valued around $142,600, and the median resident age is 47.3 years. Educational attainment runs 15.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 60.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: the state registers 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $949 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 69.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

942 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$58,850 /yr

Poverty 10.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Rockwell compare to other US cities?

Rockwell measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 33% higher than other cities
Home value 24% pricier than other cities
Median rent 10% 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Rockwell's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

33rdIncome percentile

33rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Rockwell's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$142,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 76% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Rockwell $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Rockwell, IA Rockwell, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rockwell, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Rockwell, IA median $58,850/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Rockwell, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Rockwell, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 15.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
942
Median Income
$58,850
Median Home Value
$142,600
Median Age
47.3
Poverty Rate
10.4%
Labor force participation
60.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
15.2%

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,030 residents1,040 residents1,050 residents1,060 residents1,070 residents1,080 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,068 residents 1,039 residents ▼ -2.7%
Rockwell's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 2
2021 1
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
82.1%
Carpool
10.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.4%
Work from Home
6.2%

Based on 436 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Rockwell sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$949/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
69.6 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

De Soto
943 people
Schleswig
940 people
Hospers
945 people
Victor
946 people
Fremont
937 people
Cambridge
948 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rockwell's 942 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Whitecone, AZ
942 people
Foreman, AR
942 people
Viola, IL
942 people
Lake Quivira, KS
942 people
Great Bend, NY
942 people
Wild Rose, WI
942 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rockwell's $58,850 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

South Brooksville, FL
$58,849 median income
Mooreland, IN
$58,854 median income
Rome, NY
$58,857 median income
Kennedy, CA
$58,859 median income
Inverness Highlands North, FL
$58,859 median income
Harper, KS
$58,839 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rockwell, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Rockwell, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.9% White 92.0% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.6% Two or more races 5.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Rockwell compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Rockwell (this city) 942 $58,850
De Soto 943 $92,500
Schleswig 940 $71,271
Hospers 945 $73,819
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rockwell, IA?

What is the population of Rockwell, IA? +

The population of Rockwell, IA stands at 942 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rockwell, IA? +

Rockwell households earn a median of $58,850 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rockwell? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rockwell; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Rockwell, IA? +

The median home value in Rockwell is $142,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.