City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Rock Island, WA

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

1,142
Residents
$55,114
Median income
$255,500
Median home
$1,500
Median rent (state)

Rock Island - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Rock Island lands in the 27th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

27th
percentile, household income
57th
percentile, home value
60th
percentile, median rent
📝 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 Island, WA

Washington's Rock Island is a small town, with 1,142 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Rock Island households earn a median of $55,114 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.3%. Typical homes in Rock Island are valued around $255,500, and the median resident age is 36.4 years. Educational attainment runs 10.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 4 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 83% from five years earlier.

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,500 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $188 across Washington, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 74.1 out of 100 (High).

Population

1,142 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$55,114 /yr

Poverty 7.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Rock Island compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 27% higher than other cities
Home value 57% pricier than other cities
Median rent 60% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Rock Island against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Washington only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Washington-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Rock Island toward the bottom of Washington's cities

Among the 599 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Rock Island ranks #535 - the 11th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Rock Island only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#479 of 565
15th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#386 of 599
33rd percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#446 of 565
21st percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#243 of 598
59th percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#535 of 599
11th percentile in Washington

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Washington only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

27thIncome percentile

27th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Rock Island's home value compares nationally

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

$255,500 43rd percentile more affordable than 43% 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 Island $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 Island, WA Rock Island, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rock Island, WA-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 Island, WA median $55,114/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 Island, WA'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 Island, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 10.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.5%

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

Population
1,142
Median Income
$55,114
Median Home Value
$255,500
Median Age
36.4
Poverty Rate
7.3%
Labor force participation
58.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
10.3%

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,200 residents1,400 residents1,600 residents1,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,289 residents 1,753 residents ▲ +36.0%
Rock Island's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
4
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 24
2020 26
2021 29
2022 58
2023 46
2024 4

Permit volume decreased 83% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.8%
Carpool
10.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.9%
Work from Home
3.9%
Other
2.2%

Based on 511 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

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

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,500/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
74.1 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Morton
1,142 people
Ames Lake
1,138 people
George
1,136 people
Puget Island
1,136 people
Carlsborg
1,135 people
Entiat
1,151 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rock Island's 1,142 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Ashland Heights, SD
1,142 people
Peridot, AZ
1,141 people
Metcalfe, MS
1,141 people
Sturgeon, MO
1,143 people
Colebrook, NH
1,143 people
Port Morris, NJ
1,141 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rock Island's $55,114 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ivanhoe, CA
$55,108 median income
Sevierville, TN
$55,106 median income
Little Rock, SC
$55,104 median income
Chiefland, FL
$55,125 median income
Brookridge, FL
$55,101 median income
Croswell, MI
$55,101 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rock Island, WA 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 Island, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 50.9% 36.4% 10.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 49.6% White 50.9% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 36.4% Two or more races 10.3% 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 Island compares to nearby Washington 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 Island (this city) 1,142 $55,114
Morton 1,142 $48,684
Ames Lake 1,138 $157,500
George 1,136 $55,781
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rock Island, WA?

What is the population of Rock Island, WA? +

Rock Island, WA counts 1,142 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rock Island, WA? +

Median annual household income in Rock Island runs $55,114, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rock Island? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rock Island; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Rock Island, WA? +

Homes in Rock Island carry a median value of $255,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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

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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.