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SunValleyLakeIowa
Iowa›Ringgold County

Sun Valley LakeIA

Home to 163 people, this town lies in Iowa.

Photo: PopePompus · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo of Sun Valley Lake

Sun Valley Lake, IA · Photo: PopePompus · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗

Is Sun Valley Lake a good place to live?

60% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Sun Valley Lake, against 25% in Iowa’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a higher midpoint age than Sun Valley Lake. Sun Valley Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

163 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Getting set up

Moving to Sun Valley Lake: who provides what

Sun Valley Lake is unincorporated, so Ringgold County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet5 providers91% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesRinggold CountyRinggold County provides services here
SchoolsMount Ayr Community School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereRinggold County AuditorRinggold County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code5007450074 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 Sun Valley Lake.

Work & commute

The median household income in Sun Valley Lake is higher than in most of Iowa or the rest of the country

Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a higher typical journey to work than Sun Valley Lake. The top destinations are Mount Ayr (12%), Creston (11%) and Diagonal (8%). Half commute less than 34 miles.

0%work in town
Sun Valley LakeIowa townsU.S. towns
Median household income$136,000$69,000$80,000
Average trip to work28 minutes19 minutes25 minutes

Where working residents work

In Sun Valley Lake0%
Mount Ayr12%
Creston11%
Diagonal8%
Des Moines5%
34 mi
median commute distance
19
jobs based in Sun Valley Lake
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Sun Valley Lake: four seasons and pleasant summers

A winter brings about 27 inches of snow, with January nights at 14° and July afternoons at 85°.

27″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter17–35°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 17
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazards

Top of a high hazard risk in Sun Valley Lake: drought

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in two thirds of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 45% of Sun Valley Lake’s expected hazard losses down to drought, and 14% to inland flooding.

67risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
67High riskLowerHigher
DroughtInland floodingCold waves

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Health

A larger share of adults in Sun Valley Lake have high blood pressure than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town

15% of Sun Valley Lake adults binge drink. Among 141 Iowa towns, just one has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Sun Valley Lake. In Sun Valley Lake, just over one in ten adults report frequent mental distress, and 85% had a checkup this year. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Sun Valley Lake is ahead of Iowa on 10 and behind on 8.

Sun Valley LakeIowa townsU.S. towns
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)47%35%35%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)12%16%17%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)85%78%79%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)16%12%12%
32 measures vs. Iowa
10 better14 too close to call8 worse
What stands outSun Valley LakeIA
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity5.3%9.4%
Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off3.8%6.4%
More adults who have had cancer15.2%8.7%
Ringgold County Hospital
14 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Housing

Homes in Sun Valley Lake sell for about $312K

100% of households are owner-occupiers in Sun Valley Lake.

$312Kmedian sale price
3
homes sold in September

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Sun Valley Lake

14pages on Sun Valley Lake
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Sun Valley Lake; the nearest are

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave Sun Valley Lake for work

Where Sun Valley Lake’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

12% → Mount Ayr Mount Ayr 12% 11% → Creston Creston 11% 8% → Diagonal Diagonal 8% 5% → Des Moines Des Moines 5% 5% → West Des Moines West Des Moines 5% 3% → Altoona Altoona 3% Sun Valley Lake · 0% stay
19jobs based in Sun Valley Lake
0%of working residents work in town
34 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Questions about Sun Valley Lake

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Sun Valley Lake, IA a good place to live?

Sun Valley Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.