City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Rocky Mount, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Rocky Mount - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

54,175
Residents
$52,927
Median income
$148,300
Median home
$1,143
Median rent (state)

Rocky Mount - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Rocky Mount places in the 24th percentile for household income and the 4th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

24th
percentile, household income
26th
percentile, home value
32nd
percentile, median rent
4th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Rocky Mount, NC

54,175 people live in Rocky Mount, North Carolina - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Rocky Mount brings in $52,927 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 16.7%. Home values in Rocky Mount run a median of $148,300, and the median resident age is 41.8 years. 21.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 100 residential building permits were authorized in Rocky Mount (Building Boom), up 900% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Rocky Mount's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4745.3 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,143 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). Workers in Rocky Mount report an average commute of 19.7 minutes, with 81.8% driving alone and 7.6% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 80.6 out of 100 (High).

Population

54,175 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$52,927 /yr

Poverty 16.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Rocky Mount compare to other US cities?

Where Rocky Mount sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 24% higher than other cities
Home value 26% pricier than other cities
Median rent 32% pricier than other cities
Safety 4% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Carolina, Rocky Mount ranks #170 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Rocky Mount's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

24thIncome percentile
4thSafety percentile

24th percentile nationally for median household income · 4th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Rocky Mount's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Rocky Mount's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Rocky Mount's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Rocky Mount's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$148,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 74% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Rocky Mount $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Rocky Mount, NC Rocky Mount, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rocky Mount, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Rocky Mount, NC median $52,927/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Rocky Mount, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Rocky Mount, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
54,175
Median Income
$52,927
Median Home Value
$148,300
Median Age
41.8
Poverty Rate
16.7%
Labor force participation
53.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4745.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
765.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3979.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
20
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
54,000 residents54,500 residents55,000 residents55,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 54,890 residents 55,120 residents ▲ +0.4%
Rocky Mount's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
100
housing units authorized
Single-Family
100
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 10
2020 57
2021 219
2022 83
2023 98
2024 100

Permit volume increased 900% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.7 minutes
Drive Alone
81.8%
Carpool
6.4%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
7.6%
Other
2.5%

Based on 23,111 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Rocky Mount sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,143/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Kannapolis
56,470 people
Mooresville
51,447 people
Wake Forest
51,199 people
Burlington
58,599 people
Chapel Hill
59,889 people
Wilson
47,740 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rocky Mount's 54,175 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Peabody, MA
54,180 people
Texas City, TX
54,159 people
Kentwood, MI
54,114 people
Pensacola, FL
54,011 people
Yucaipa, CA
54,348 people
Manhattan, KS
53,951 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rocky Mount's $52,927 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Humble, TX
$52,927 median income
Roseburg, OR
$52,928 median income
North Belle Vernon, PA
$52,928 median income
Roscoe, TX
$52,935 median income
Shonto, AZ
$52,917 median income
Havana, AR
$52,917 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rocky Mount, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Rocky Mount, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 28.2% 62.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.8% White 28.2% Black or African American 62.9% Asian 1.2% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 2.5% Two or more races 4.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Rocky Mount compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Rocky Mount (this city) 54,175 $52,927
Kannapolis 56,470 $70,691
Mooresville 51,447 $88,592
Wake Forest 51,199 $120,777
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rocky Mount, NC?

What is the population of Rocky Mount, NC? +

Rocky Mount, NC counts 54,175 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rocky Mount, NC? +

Median annual household income in Rocky Mount runs $52,927, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rocky Mount? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rocky Mount; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Rocky Mount, NC safe? +

Rocky Mount has a total crime rate of 4745.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Rocky Mount, NC? +

A typical home in Rocky Mount is worth $148,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.