Rolfe, Iowa 001, 2018
Rolfe’s story
164 years in pictures
Census counts: 529 in 1890, a peak of 1,122 in 1940, 509 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and a map from 1980 on.
- 1862Rolfe is settled
RolfeIA
A town of 489, settled in 1862.
Photo: Brandonrush · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
489
2025 Census estimate · −4.3% since 2020
Typical home
$66K
−13.1% in a year
Household income
$51K
median
Median age
38.6
years
Jobs based here
66
A commuter town
Is Rolfe a good place to live?
Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Rolfe. Rolfe has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
489 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Rolfe: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Rolfe, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRolfe Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Rolfe’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePocahontas County AuditorPocahontas County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code5058150581 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Rolfe.
Housing
A typical Rolfe home is worth about $66K
The typical Rolfe home is worth about $66,000, down 13.1% in a year, 72% below the Iowa typical home. 84% of households own their home in Rolfe, above both the Iowa town median (70%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%).
$66KZillow home value
Typical home value
Rolfe$66K
Iowa$237K
−13.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
With 0.3 jobs for every working resident, most of Rolfe’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Rolfe for work: only 3% work in town. At $51,000, Rolfe’s median household income is where Iowa’s towns sit at $69,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000. 14% of Rolfe residents live below the poverty line.
3%work in town
| Rolfe | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $51,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Rolfe3%
Pocahontas30%
Humboldt7%
Fort Dodge6%
Laurens5%
16 mi
median commute distance
66
jobs based in Rolfe
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Rolfe
Rolfe has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 8° and about 39 inches of snow falls in a winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–29°
Spring36–58°
Summer60–82°
Fall38–60°
Oct 7
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Rolfe is
Rolfe beats the Iowa average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 19% of adults binge drink in Rolfe.
| Rolfe | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 32% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
0 better28 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Rolfe | IA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 8.7% | 6.9% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4% | 3.3% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.9% | 6.6% |
Pocahontas Community Hospital
8.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Rolfe faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by drought
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities.
47risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingTornadoes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Conserved land covers 0.1% of Rolfe
Among 140 Iowa towns, just 3 have a lower share of conserved land than Rolfe.
0.1%conserved
0.1%
conserved · 1 of 673 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Feldman Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rolfe
16pages on Rolfe
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Rolfe; the nearest are
Iowa Central Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fort Dodge27.9 mi$5,496 in-state tuitionIowa State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ames70.6 mi$10,787 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Rolfe residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Rolfe for work
Where Rolfe’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
66jobs based in Rolfe
3%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Rolfe
City in Iowa, United States
Rolfe is a city in Pocahontas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 509 at the time of the 2020 census. This city was named after the Englishman John Rolfe, who married Pocahontas in Jamestown, Virginia.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,184 ft
- ZIP code
- 50581
Questions about Rolfe
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Rolfe, IA a good place to live?
Rolfe has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.