Moving to Rock Rapids, Iowa

Population: 2,573. Estimated population in July 2024: 2,598 (+1.0% change)
Males: 1,203 (46.8%), Females: 1,370 (53.2%)

Lyon County

Zip code: 51246

Demographics

Median resident age: 43.4 years
Median household income: $35,135
Median house value: $65,000

Population by Race

Races in Rock Rapids:

• White Non-Hispanic (99.1%)

Ancestries: German (47.0%), Dutch (35.4%), Irish (7.0%), Norwegian (6.9%), English (5.4%), United States (4.5%).

Elevation: 1345 feet

Land area: 4.0 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Rock Rapids

• High school or higher: 76.4%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 19.7%
• Graduate or professional degree: 6.6%
• Unemployed: 2.5%
• Mean travel time to work: 16.4 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Rock Rapids city

• Never married: 17.7%
• Now married: 63.9%
• Separated: 0.9%
• Widowed: 12.8%
• Divorced: 4.6%

0.7% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: -157 (-5.8%).

Hospitals

Hospital/medical center in Rock Rapids:

• MERRILL PIONEER COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (801 SOUTH GREENE STREET)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Rock Rapids:

• LUVERNE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (about 17 miles; LUVERNE, MN)
• HEGG MEMORIAL CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITAL (about 20 miles; ROCK VALLEY, IA)
• SIOUX CTR COMM HOSPITAL & HEALTH CTR (about 25 miles; SIOUX CENTER, IA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Rock Rapids:

• JOE FOSS FIELD (about 41 miles; SIOUX FALLS, SD; Abbreviation: FSD)
• SIOUX GATEWAY/COL. BUD DAY FIELD (about 73 miles; SIOUX CITY, IA; Abbreviation: SUX)
• BROOKINGS MUNI (about 75 miles; BROOKINGS, SD; Abbreviation: BKX)

Other public-use airports nearest to Rock Rapids:

• ROCK RAPIDS MUNI (about 2 miles; ROCK RAPIDS, IA; Abbreviation: RRQ)
• QUENTIN AANENSON FIELD (about 14 miles; LUVERNE, MN; Abbreviation: D19)
• SIOUX CENTER MUNI (about 21 miles; SIOUX CENTER, IA; Abbreviation: SOY)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Rock Rapids:

• UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA (about 69 miles; VERMILLION, SD; Full-time enrollment: 6,014)
• WESTERN IOWA TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 74 miles; SIOUX CITY, IA; Full-time enrollment: 2,639)
• SOUTHWEST STATE UNIVERSITY (about 76 miles; MARSHALL, MN; Full-time enrollment: 3,405)
• SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY (about 78 miles; BROOKINGS, SD; Full-time enrollment: 7,353)
• BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY (about 87 miles; STORM LAKE, IA; Full-time enrollment: 2,524)
• WAYNE STATE COLLEGE (about 103 miles; WAYNE, NE; Full-time enrollment: 3,026)
• RIDGEWATER COLLEGE (about 140 miles; WILLMAR, MN; Full-time enrollment: 2,711)

Schools

Public high school in Rock Rapids:

• CENTRAL LYON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 198; Location: 1010 S GREENE STREET; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Rock Rapids:

• CENTRAL LYON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 252; Location: 1105 S STORY; Grades: KG – 05)
• CENTRAL LYON MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 167; Location: 1105 S STORY; Grades: 06 – 08)

Libraries

Library in Rock Rapids:

• ROCK RAPIDS PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $103,026; Location: 102 SOUTH GREENE; 36,093 books; 2,064 audio materials; 423 video materials; 69 serial subscriptions)