Rock Valley, IA · standard
ZIP Code 51247
Sioux County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,870
- 17/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $78,358
- Median income Near-median income area
- $262,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 15.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Rock Valley pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 40%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 40%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 17
- people per sq mi
- 61%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51247 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 51247 (Rock Valley, IA) rose +7.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 251.2 in 2023 to 268.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 51247 covers 289.9 square miles in Rock Valley, Sioux County, Iowa (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,870 residents on file, a density of 17 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 51247 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $78,358 (2% above the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $35,505. The poverty rate is 8.8%, with unemployment at 0.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $262,900 (50% above the average Iowa ZIP), while 61.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,142.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.7, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Sioux County, so 51247 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 51247
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rock Valley, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51247.
- Construction
Construction
39 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
35 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
28 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
26 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
25 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 51247, Rock Valley, IA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
4,870
Population
289.9
Area (sq mi)
17
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 51247?
37.7
Median Age
50.6%
Male
49.4%
Female
14.8%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$78,358
Median Household Income
+2% vs state ZIP avg
$35,505
Per Capita Income
8.8%
Poverty Rate
0.3%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 51247 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Rock Valley, IA household income vs. every Iowa ZIP code
Median household income among 911 reporting Iowa ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$78,358 Top 40% higher than 60% of 911 Iowa ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Iowa ZIPs. 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 · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
1,839housing units
1,839
Total Housing Units
1,825
Occupied Units
14
Vacant Units
2.73
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$262,900
Median Home Value
+50% vs state ZIP avg
$1,142
Median Rent
1982
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+7.0%
YoY Change (2024)
269
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+169%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 51247 have increased 7.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +169% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.4% | 181 |
| 2021 | +4.8% | 189 |
| 2022 | +9.6% | 207 |
| 2023 | +21.2% | 251 |
| 2024 | +7.0% | 269 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 242 business establishments in ZIP 51247, employing approximately 3,381 people with a combined annual payroll of $162,932,000.
242
Businesses
3,381
Employees
$162.9M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 39 | 16.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 35 | 14.5% |
| Retail trade | 28 | 11.6% |
| Manufacturing | 26 | 10.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 25 | 10.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 18 | 7.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 15 | 6.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 12 | 5.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 12 | 5.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 8 | 3.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 8 | 3.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 5 | 2.1% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 51247 vs 51235 →
ZIP 51247 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51250
Sioux Center (51250)
8,249 residents
- 51247
Rock Valley (51247)
4,870 residents
- 51240 1,746
Inwood (51240)
1,746 residents
- 51235 1,079
Doon (51235)
1,079 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51247 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 51247 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51250
Sioux Center (51250)
$94,119 median income
- 51240
Inwood (51240)
$83,929 median income
- 51247
Rock Valley (51247)
$78,358 median income
- 51235
Doon (51235)
$71,016 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 51247 ranks #3 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 51247, both outside IA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (4,870 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Sioux County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 51247 in?
ZIP code 51247 (Rock Valley) is located in Sioux County, Iowa. Sioux County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/sioux-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51247?
ZIP code 51247 in Rock Valley, IA has a population of 4,870 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51247?
The median household income in ZIP 51247 is $78,358, which is 3% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51247?
The median home value in ZIP 51247 is $262,900, which is 5% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51247?
The largest racial group in ZIP 51247 is White at 71.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 30.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51247?
ZIP code 51247 has 242 business establishments employing approximately 3,381 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51247?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51247 are: Construction (39), Other services (except public administration) (35), Retail trade (28). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51247?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51247 increased by 7.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 169%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 51247?
In ZIP code 51247, 56.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 51247?
In ZIP code 51247, approximately 61.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 38.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51247?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51247 is 8.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 51247's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 51247 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Rock Valley, IA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.