City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Rocky Mount, VA

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.

4,926
Residents
$61,580
Median income
$181,400
Median home
$944
Median rent (state)

Rocky Mount - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Rocky Mount places in the 38th percentile for household income and the 10th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

38th
percentile, household income
37th
percentile, home value
10th
percentile, median rent
10th
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, VA

4,926 people live in Rocky Mount, Virginia - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Rocky Mount brings in $61,580 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.4%. Typical homes in Rocky Mount are valued around $181,400, and the median resident age is 44.7 years. 21.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 51.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Rocky Mount's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3607.2 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Virginia tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Virginia scores 101.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $944 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 42.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

4,926 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$61,580 /yr

Poverty 13.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does Rocky Mount compare to other US cities?

Rocky Mount measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 38% higher than other cities
Home value 37% pricier than other cities
Median rent 10% pricier than other cities
Safety 10% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Virginia and the picture shifts: Rocky Mount ranks #105 of 117 Virginia cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile 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 Virginia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

38thIncome percentile
10thSafety percentile

38th percentile nationally for median household income · 10th 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 42 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+)

$181,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 63% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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, VA Rocky Mount, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rocky Mount, VA-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, VA median $61,580/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, VA'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, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 51.8%

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

Population
4,926
Median Income
$61,580
Median Home Value
$181,400
Median Age
44.7
Poverty Rate
13.4%
Labor force participation
51.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3607.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
140.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3466.9
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
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,850 residents4,900 residents4,950 residents5,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,906 residents 4,973 residents ▲ +1.4%
Rocky Mount's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.6%
Carpool
14.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
7.3%

Based on 2,036 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Virginia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Virginia 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 Virginia 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
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$944/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
42.7 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Chamberlayne
5,000 people
Orange
5,000 people
Bluefield
5,016 people
Luray
4,836 people
King George
4,833 people
Falmouth
5,036 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rocky Mount's 4,926 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Herculaneum, MO
4,925 people
Medical Lake, WA
4,927 people
Port Allen, LA
4,928 people
Rio Communities, NM
4,924 people
Granite Falls, NC
4,921 people
Omak, WA
4,931 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rocky Mount's $61,580 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Scott City, MO
$61,581 median income
South Padre Island, TX
$61,578 median income
Atlanta, IN
$61,583 median income
Moose Lake, MN
$61,576 median income
Elmwood Park, WI
$61,573 median income
Kalispell, MT
$61,590 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rocky Mount, VA 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, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 61.5% 28.5% 8.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.2% White 61.5% Black or African American 28.5% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.6% Two or more races 8.6% 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 Rocky Mount compares to nearby Virginia 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) 4,926 $61,580
Chamberlayne 5,000 $102,656
Orange 5,000 $68,833
Bluefield 5,016 $53,500
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rocky Mount, VA?

What is the population of Rocky Mount, VA? +

The population of Rocky Mount, VA stands at 4,926 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Rocky Mount runs $61,580, 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 Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 101.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Virginia vary by metro area.

Is Rocky Mount, VA safe? +

Rocky Mount has a total crime rate of 3607.2 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, VA? +

A typical home in Rocky Mount is worth $181,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, 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.