Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Rock Valley, Iowa
A $226,000 home here costs
$1,907per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,162. The real number is $745 higher every month — 64% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Rock Valley against Sioux County and Iowa
| Measure | Rock Valley | Sioux County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $225,800 | $235,600 |
| Median property tax | $3,156 | $2,722 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.398% | 1.155% |
| Median gross rent | $1,070 | $888 |
| Population | 4,061 | 35,984 |
The weather behind that power bill
Rock Valley sits in Sioux County, which averages a high of 84.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 9.4°F in its coldest, with 29.85" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 825 cooling and 6,993 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Sioux County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Sioux County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Rock Valley?
A $226,000 home in Rock Valley, Iowa costs approximately $1,907 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,162 principal and interest, $263 property tax, $98 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $188 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Rock Valley?
Rock Valley has an effective property tax rate of 1.398%, based on a median home value of $225,800 and median real estate taxes of $3,156. That is higher than the Sioux County average of 1.155%.
What is the average home price in Rock Valley?
The median owner-occupied home value in Rock Valley, Iowa is $225,800, against $235,600 across Sioux County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Rock Valley?
Median gross rent in Rock Valley is $1,070 a month, against $1,907 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Rock Valley — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Iowa.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.