City · Texas
Rockdale, Texas
Rockdale, city, in Milam County, Texas. Rockdale had 5,688 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 7.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,323 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,523 (±16). GEOID 4862672.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,688
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,323 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,523 ±16
Median household income
$60,590
±$18,355 (90% margin)
Texas: $78,476
Median home value
$230,900
±$64,819 (90% margin)
Texas: $283,800
Median gross rent
$1,115
±$972 (90% margin)
Texas: $1,403
Where is Rockdale and what county is it in?
Rockdale is a city in Milam County, Texas. It covers 4.3 square miles of land, 1,242 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Rockdale, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,688 people lived in Rockdale on July 1, 2025, up 7.4% since 2020, slower than Texas (+8.8%). The 2020 Census counted 5,323 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,523 (±16).
| Measure | Rockdale | Milam County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,523 ±16 | 25,567 | no clear change |
| Households | 2,191 ±194 | 10,152 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.44 ±0.22 | 2.47 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,571 ±240 | 11,641 | no clear change |
Rockdale's population since 2000
From 5,439 in 2000 to 5,688 in 2025: up 4.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Rockdale 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 Rockdale?
The median resident of Rockdale is 39.1 years old; 21.0% are under 18 and 18.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 65.6%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 23.9%. 13.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Rockdale | Milam County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 ±5.2 | 41.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.0% ±3.7 pts | 22.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.2% ±4.0 pts | 21.9% | – |
| Male | 48.7% ±4.0 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 23.9% ±8.1 pts | 26.0% | −13.4 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 65.6% ±8.7 pts | 61.6% | +15.2 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 6.0% ±4.8 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±2.7 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 13.4% ±6.9 pts | 6.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 17.0% ±8.0 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.0% ±2.9 pts | 6.1% | – |
| With a disability | 16.5% ±4.2 pts | 15.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 20.9% ±8.6 pts | 15.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.3% ±7.4 pts | 88.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.7% ±5.7 pts | 20.6% | +13.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.2% ±4.9 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.6% ±6.2 pts | 88.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 1.8% | – |
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 Rockdale earn?
Half of Rockdale's 2,191 households earn less than $60,590 a year (±$18,355), against $66,141 in Milam County and $78,476 in Texas. In 2015-2019 it was $48,733 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Rockdale | Milam County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,590 ±$18,355 | $66,141 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $110,734 ±$50,932 | $88,925 | – |
| Per capita income | $44,639 ±$19,971 | $35,880 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.1% ±4.7 pts | 12.9% | −11.5 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.5% ±3.3 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.0% ±4.6 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.2% ±3.5 pts | 93.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.2% ±6.6 pts | 83.9% | – |
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 Rockdale?
Owners occupy 63.4% of Rockdale's occupied homes and renters 36.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $230,900 by its owner (±$64,819).
| Measure | Rockdale | Milam County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $230,900 ±$64,819 | $189,800 | +$114,846 |
| Median gross rent | $1,115 ±$972 | $984 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 19.8% ±14.9 pts | 27.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,978 ±$239 | $1,761 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63.4% ±10.7 pts | 76.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 36.6% ±10.7 pts | 23.1% | – |
| Housing units | 2,571 ±240 | 11,641 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.0 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 83.1% ±6.9 pts | 75.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.3% ±6.3 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.1% ±4.4 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.0% ±1.6 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.9% ±4.7 pts | 5.5% | – |
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 many new homes is Rockdale building?
Builders took permits for 31 new housing units in Rockdale in 2025 (31 in single-family houses), 5.5 per 1,000 residents against 6.6 across Texas.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Rockdale work and get to work?
66.8% of Rockdale's workers drive alone and 11.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 31.6 minutes.
| Measure | Rockdale | Milam County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.4% ±7.9 pts | 58.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% ±3.8 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 66.8% ±7.9 pts | 77.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.7% ±7.3 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.8% ±1.3 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.1% ±5.6 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.6 min ±7.2 | 31.6 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 Rockdale?
1 census tract lies mostly in Rockdale, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9507Milam County | 5,727 | $60,225 |
| Tract 9503Milam County | 4,225 | $78,266 |
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 Rockdale) · Census block assignment files
How does Rockdale compare with other places in Texas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Rockdale is the 4,554th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 357th-most populous of 1,224 in Texas.
Rockdale ranks 577th of 933 places in Texas with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 357th | 1,224 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 296th | 784 |
| Residents per square mile | 415th | 979 |
| Median household income | 577th | 933 |
| Per capita income | 208th | 978 |
| Median home value | 400th | 950 |
| Poverty rate | 553rd | 716 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 492nd | 877 |
| Median age | 343rd | 973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 692nd | 973 |
| Work from home | 303rd | 557 |
| Travel time to work | 214th | 976 |
Rockdale's figures with every place in Texas (CSV)
Every place in Texas, sortable · Compare Rockdale 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 Rockdale?
21 of the 57 figures for Rockdale 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 Rockdale 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 Rockdale.