Town · North Carolina
Rockwell, North Carolina
Rockwell, town, in Rowan County, North Carolina. Rockwell had 2,417 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,302 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,782 (±666). GEOID 3757340.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,417
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,302 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,782 ±666
Median household income
$69,632
±$17,416 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$237,200
±$22,320 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$952
±$36 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Rockwell and what county is it in?
Rockwell is a town in Rowan County, North Carolina. It covers 1.8 square miles of land, 1,246 residents per square mile in 2020.
Rockwell is in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 11 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Rockwell, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,417 people lived in Rockwell on July 1, 2025, up 4.7% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 2,302 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,782 (±666).
| Measure | Rockwell | Rowan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,782 ±666 | 149,875 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,087 ±237 | 58,899 | +318 |
| Average household size | 2.52 ±0.41 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,121 ±231 | 64,975 | +286 |
Rockwell's population since 2000
From 1,971 in 2000 to 2,417 in 2025: up 22.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Rockwell as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Rockwell?
The median resident of Rockwell is 37.2 years old; 26.3% are under 18 and 14.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 78.7%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 7.9%.
| Measure | Rockwell | Rowan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.2 ±5.7 | 40.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.3% ±6.4 pts | 22.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.2% ±7.2 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Male | 47.0% ±5.6 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.7% ±3.4 pts | 11.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 78.7% ±10.9 pts | 67.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.9% ±8.2 pts | 15.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.6% ±7.8 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±0.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.4% ±2.0 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.2% ±2.8 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.0% ±2.9 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 13.2% ±4.1 pts | 15.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.0% ±5.2 pts | 9.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.9% ±5.7 pts | 88.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 28.4% ±9.5 pts | 23.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.1% ±4.3 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.8% ±4.9 pts | 89.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 1.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Rockwell earn?
Half of Rockwell's 1,087 households earn less than $69,632 a year (±$17,416), against $65,725 in Rowan County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $70,729 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 7.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Rockwell | Rowan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,632 ±$17,416 | $65,725 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $89,580 ±$17,587 | $84,650 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,161 ±$5,232 | $33,667 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.0% ±3.2 pts | 16.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.4% ±1.0 pts | 23.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.3% ±5.0 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.7% ±1.9 pts | 94.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 98.0% ±1.6 pts | 90.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Rockwell?
Owners occupy 68.3% of Rockwell's occupied homes and renters 31.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $237,200 by its owner (±$22,320). The median renter pays $952 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Rockwell | Rowan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $237,200 ±$22,320 | $238,400 | +$83,856 |
| Median gross rent | $952 ±$36 | $1,013 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 9.6% ±10.9 pts | 37.8% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,397 ±$125 | $1,429 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.3% ±13.6 pts | 72.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 31.7% ±13.6 pts | 27.7% | – |
| Housing units | 1,121 ±231 | 64,975 | +286 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±5.6 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±11.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.8% ±13.4 pts | 71.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.1% ±2.7 pts | 15.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 5.9% ±3.9 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.7% ±5.4 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.2% ±4.3 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.9% ±2.3 pts | 6.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Rockwell work and get to work?
79.1% of Rockwell's workers drive alone and 13.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.5 minutes.
| Measure | Rockwell | Rowan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.3% ±7.9 pts | 60.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% ±3.7 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 79.1% ±7.5 pts | 78.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.7% ±4.0 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.1% ±6.9 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.5 min ±4.1 | 26.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Rockwell?
No census tract lies mostly in Rockwell; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 510.01Rowan County | 7,505 | $61,770 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Rockwell) · Census block assignment files
How does Rockwell compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Rockwell is the 7,013th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 238th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Rockwell ranks 184th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 238th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 166th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 120th | 443 |
| Median household income | 184th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 190th | 443 |
| Median home value | 231st | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 228th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 287th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 192nd | 421 |
| Median age | 313th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 217th | 443 |
| Work from home | 152nd | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 172nd | 439 |
Rockwell's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Rockwell with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Rockwell?
21 of the 57 figures for Rockwell on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Rockwell are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Rockwell.