Schools
Schools fall under Airport Community Schools (about 2,800 students), with Fred W. Ritter Elementary (PreK-4) right in the village and Airport High School in Carleton; parts of the wider area sit near Jefferson Schools in Monroe.
Monroe County, Michigan
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Buying a home in South Rockwood
South Rockwood is a village of roughly 1,580 people tucked into northeastern Monroe County, where the Huron River traces the northern edge of town and Interstate 75's Exit 26 runs straight through the village center. Incorporated in 1955 and named after Rockwood, Ontario, it trades big-city density for small-village quiet while keeping Detroit only about 25 miles up the freeway. Paychecks here come from a wide circle of regional employers: DTE Energy's Fermi 2 nuclear plant in nearby Newport, La-Z-Boy's Monroe headquarters, ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital, Gerdau steel, and Ford's Flat Rock Assembly Plant just up Downriver. With a median household income near $74,000 to $78,000, the 48179 ZIP draws commuters who want farmland air, freeway access, and prices below the metro Detroit average.
By the numbers
South Rockwood housing and mortgage snapshot
Values move. Treat these as orientation and let us pull current figures for the address you are considering.
$233,000
Typical home value, from the market research on this page
+44%
Typical rise in taxable value the year after a home sells in Berlin Township, 2026 Uncapping Study
0.96%
Property tax current owners pay, as a share of value. A buyer's bill can reset higher the year after a sale
1
Residential ZIP code: 48179
What financing looks like in South Rockwood
To buy a median-priced South Rockwood home, plan on roughly $75,000 to $85,000 in household income. On a roughly $255,000 home, what fits you depends on your down payment, rate and debts, so Samantha runs the real numbers with you; that price sits well below any jumbo or conforming-loan ceiling, keeping nearly every 48179 buyer in conventional/FHA/VA territory. Current owners pay an effective rate near 0.96% of value, below the 1.27% Monroe County average, with typical bills around $1,400 to $2,900/year. A buyer's bill can reset higher the year after a sale. First-time buyers should ask about MSHDA down-payment assistance, which pairs well with this price point. USDA rural financing may also fit the agricultural fringe outside the village core.
Nearly every South Rockwood purchase fits well under the 2026 conforming limit of $832,750, so loan size is rarely the constraint.
The market
The South Rockwood housing market
Home values in 48179 cluster around $245,000 as a blended figure, though the small-village sample size makes single numbers misleading. Zillow pegs the typical ZIP value near $232,900, while Redfin reported a median sale price around $257,000 in spring 2026 and a list price near $294,000 with a steep YoY swing, normal volatility for a market with only a handful of monthly closings. Demand is driven by affordable freeway-commute access and limited inventory: homes often go pending in about 15 days and average roughly 30 days on market. Watch several months of data rather than any single month here.
Schools and commute
Commute
Downtown Detroit is about 25 miles / 30 to 40 minutes straight up I-75 from Exit 26.
Michigan property taxes
South Rockwood property taxes after you buy
The year after a Michigan home sells, its taxable value resets to half of the assessor's market value, so the seller's tax bill is not your tax bill.
In Berlin Township, which assesses South Rockwood, our 2026 Uncapping Study found taxable value typically rises about 44% the year after a sale. On a $225,000 home, near the typical South Rockwood value, that is roughly $1,350 more in first-year tax at the village's homestead millage. We build your payment on that post-sale number.
Looking at a South Rockwood address? Our Michigan property tax calculator finds that property's published 2025 millage and works out the tax to plan for after you buy.
In Samantha's words
County alone does not tell you much. We would never say you are in a particular county so here are your taxes. It does not work like that. We need the actual property.
Local resources
Check South Rockwood records yourself
The official offices behind the tax and school details on this page.
- Berlin Charter Township Assessing, for parcel records and current taxable value
- Airport Community Schools, for district boundaries and enrollment
- Monroe County Equalization, for county property tax records
What our clients say
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As a first-time homebuyer in Ferndale, I was unsure of some things. Samantha was awesome. She was extremely helpful and made sure I understood every part of the process.
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Want to shout out Samantha for the expert guidance, made my first-time homebuyer experience seamless! It exceeded expectations and was a stress free process throughout. Grateful for all your help and loving my new home in Bloomfield Hills!
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Samantha Shelton is amazing!! She helped me get into my first home in Ferndale. The closing process was easy I was able to take care of everything without taking a day off of work. Being a first time homebuyer was stressful but she provided clear communication and true experience guidance throughout the entire process
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Can’t say enough great things about Samantha and her team at Align Lending! Highly recommend
Individual experiences. Results vary.
South Rockwood mortgage questions
If yours is not here, ask it on the call. There are no dumb questions.
What is the median home price in South Rockwood, MI (48179)?
Typical home values run around $245,000. Zillow estimates the ZIP’s typical value near $232,900, while Redfin reported a median sale price around $257,000 in spring 2026. Because South Rockwood is a small village with only a handful of sales each month, figures swing more than in a large market, so look at a few months of data rather than a single number.
How much income do I need to buy a median-priced home in South Rockwood?
Plan on roughly $75,000 to $85,000 in household income. On a roughly $255,000 home, that income fits comfortably within standard lending guidelines. That lines up closely with the village’s median household income of about $74,000 to $78,000.
What are property taxes like in South Rockwood?
Current owners pay an effective property tax rate of roughly 0.96% of value, a bit below the national median, though Monroe County overall averages closer to 1.27%. Michigan bills are millage times taxable value, which is capped while one owner holds the home and resets the year after a sale to half of the assessor’s estimate of market value, so a buyer’s bill can run higher than a current owner’s.
Which school district serves South Rockwood?
South Rockwood is served by Airport Community Schools, a district of about 2,800 students. Fred W. Ritter Elementary (PreK-4) sits right in the village, and students continue on to Airport Middle and Airport High School in Carleton. Parts of the broader area also fall near Jefferson Schools in Monroe.
How long is the commute from South Rockwood to Detroit?
It’s about 25 miles to downtown Detroit, typically a 30 to 40 minute drive straight up Interstate 75 from the village’s Exit 26. Many residents also commute the shorter about 15 to 20 minutes to jobs in Monroe or the Downriver Detroit suburbs and the Flat Rock auto plants.
What kind of homes and neighborhoods can I find in 48179?
The village mixes established subdivisions like Island Estates (larger homes, often $250,000 to $400,000) and Malen Gardens (deep lots, about $200,000 to $350,000) with older homes near the historic Strong Boulevard village core (about $160,000 to $280,000). For budget-conscious or 55+ buyers, The Orchards is a gated manufactured-home community with a clubhouse and pool. Homes here are competitive, often going pending in about two weeks.
Is South Rockwood a good place to buy if I work Downriver or in Monroe?
Yes, that’s the village’s core appeal. From Exit 26 you’re roughly 15 to 20 minutes from Monroe’s employers like La-Z-Boy and ProMedica, the Ford Flat Rock Assembly Plant, and DTE’s Fermi 2 plant in Newport, while still landing in a quiet, lower-cost community with quick I-75 access in both directions toward Detroit and Toledo.
Communities near South Rockwood
Monroe County overviewTalk with a local mortgage expert
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Align Lending LLC, NMLS #2041154. Samantha Shelton, NMLS 1647301. Equal Housing Opportunity. Licensed in Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. Figures on this page are market research for orientation, not a quote. This page is for educational purposes only. It is not a credit decision, a preapproval, a commitment to lend, or an offer of credit.
