City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Rock Hill, SC

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

74,769
Residents
$64,770
Median income
$267,400
Median home
$1,686
Median rent (state)

Rock Hill - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Rock Hill places in the 43rd percentile for household income and the 18th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

43rd
percentile, household income
59th
percentile, home value
67th
percentile, median rent
18th
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: Rock Hill, SC

74,769 people live in Rock Hill, South Carolina - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Rock Hill households earn a median of $64,770 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.2%. Home values in Rock Hill run a median of $267,400, and the median resident age is 35.7 years. Educational attainment runs 34.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 63.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 321 residential building permits were authorized in Rock Hill (Construction Slowdown), down 26% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Rock Hill's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2789.0 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 South Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, South Carolina scores 93.7 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,686 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in South Carolina run around $224, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 88.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

74,769 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$64,770 /yr

Poverty 8.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Rock Hill compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 43% higher than other cities
Home value 59% pricier than other cities
Median rent 67% pricier than other cities
Safety 18% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to South Carolina alone, Rock Hill ranks #57 of 127 South Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Rock Hill'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 South Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

43rdIncome percentile
18thSafety percentile

43rd percentile nationally for median household income · 18th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Rock Hill's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Rock Hill'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
Rock Hill'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 Rock Hill's home value compares nationally

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

$267,400 41st percentile more affordable than 41% 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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Rock Hill $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 - Rock Hill, SC Rock Hill, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rock Hill, SC-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 Rock Hill, SC median $64,770/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%
Rock Hill, SC'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 Rock Hill, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.4%

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

Population
74,769
Median Income
$64,770
Median Home Value
$267,400
Median Age
35.7
Poverty Rate
8.2%
Labor force participation
63.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2789.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
440.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2348.1
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
27
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
74,500 residents75,000 residents75,500 residents76,000 residents76,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 74,631 residents 75,911 residents ▲ +1.7%
Rock Hill's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
321
housing units authorized
Single-Family
180
detached homes
Multifamily
141
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 433
2020 219
2021 680
2022 469
2023 217
2024 321

Permit volume decreased 26% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.1%
Carpool
8.0%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
2.7%
Work from Home
9.3%
Other
1.1%

Based on 37,584 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$52
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$224
estimated/month

Estimates reflect South 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 South Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Rock Hill sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,686/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
88.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

Greenville
71,755 people
Mount Pleasant
92,662 people
Summerville
51,262 people
Goose Creek
46,964 people
Sumter
43,065 people
Florence
40,205 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rock Hill's 74,769 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Appleton, WI
74,873 people
Broomfield, CO
75,110 people
Missouri City, TX
75,234 people
Iowa City, IA
75,264 people
Pawtucket, RI
75,280 people
Bismarck, ND
74,146 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rock Hill's $64,770 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Golden Gate, FL
$64,767 median income
Warren, IN
$64,773 median income
Bloomingburg, OH
$64,776 median income
Hendron, KY
$64,777 median income
Broaddus, TX
$64,779 median income
South Oroville, CA
$64,785 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rock Hill, SC 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 Rock Hill, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 52.0% 39.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.7% White 52.0% Black or African American 39.8% Asian 2.0% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.0% Two or more races 4.6% 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 Rock Hill compares to nearby South 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
Rock Hill (this city) 74,769 $64,770
Greenville 71,755 $68,460
Mount Pleasant 92,662 $121,364
Summerville 51,262 $78,621
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rock Hill, SC?

What is the population of Rock Hill, SC? +

Rock Hill, SC has a population of 74,769 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rock Hill, SC? +

The median household income in Rock Hill is $64,770 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rock Hill? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rock Hill; the closest available measure is the South Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 93.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within South Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Rock Hill, SC safe? +

Rock Hill has a total crime rate of 2789.0 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 Rock Hill, SC? +

Homes in Rock Hill carry a median value of $267,400, 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.