Lester vs Rock Valley
Lester, Iowa versus Rock Valley, Iowa: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lester edges out Rock Valley on overall objective livability (50 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lester | Rock Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $86k | $63k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $45k |
| Home Value | $170k | $203k |
| Monthly Rent | — | $903 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $110 | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.88% | 1.47% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.94% | 6.94% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.03% | 12.98% |
| Unemployment | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 17°F | 17°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 29.3 in | 29.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.9 in | 34.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 235 days | 235 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 87 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 79.3 | 75.5 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 40.7 | 41.6 |
| Violent Crime | 224/100k | 195/100k |
| Property Crime | 454/100k | 365/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 303 | 4,045 |
| Median Age | 38.7 | 41.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.26 | 0.31 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.06 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | R+68 | R+68 |
| White (%) | 85.1% | 75.5% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 13.2% | 24.2% |
| Asian (%) | 0.7% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 1.0% | 0.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 5.6/20 | 5.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 149 mi | 133 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.1% | 86.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 27.19 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lester or Rock Valley more affordable?
- Rock Valley has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Lester's $45k and Rock Valley's $45k.
- Is Lester or Rock Valley safer?
- Rock Valley has the lower violent crime rate. Lester reports 224/100k and Rock Valley reports 195/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lester or Rock Valley?
- The median home value is $170k in Lester and $203k in Rock Valley, so homes are more affordable in Lester.