City profile · Wyoming · Census ACS 2023

Rock Springs, WY

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

23,229
Residents
$73,307
Median income
$245,600
Median home
$996
Median rent (state)

Rock Springs - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Rock Springs places in the 54th percentile for household income and the 49th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

54th
percentile, household income
55th
percentile, home value
19th
percentile, median rent
49th
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 Springs, WY

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 23,229 residents in Rock Springs, a small city within Wyoming. The typical household in Rock Springs brings in $73,307 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.6%. Typical homes in Rock Springs are valued around $245,600, and the median resident age is 35.8 years. About 21.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 64.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 17 residential building permits were authorized in Rock Springs (Construction Slowdown), down 70% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Rock Springs reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1404.8 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Rock Springs's yearly average temperature at 43.7°F with 7.5 inches of precipitation per year and 54.0 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Wyoming run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Wyoming at 92.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $996 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $180 across Wyoming, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Rock Springs workers runs 19.3 minutes, with 81.3% driving alone and 1.9% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 30.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

23,229 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wyoming

Median Household Income

$73,307 /yr

Poverty 14.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wyoming average

How does Rock Springs compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 54% higher than other cities
Home value 55% pricier than other cities
Median rent 19% pricier than other cities
Safety 49% 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 Wyoming alone, Rock Springs ranks #16 of 24 Wyoming cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Wyoming-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Rock Springs toward the top of Wyoming's cities

Among the 149 Wyoming cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Rock Springs ranks #24 - the 83rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Rock Springs only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#61 of 135
55th percentile in Wyoming
Median Gross Rent
#49 of 150
61st percentile in Wyoming
Median Home Value
#58 of 128
55th percentile in Wyoming
Poverty Rate
#24 of 149
83rd percentile in Wyoming
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#74 of 150
51st percentile in Wyoming

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 Wyoming only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

54thIncome percentile
49thSafety percentile

54th percentile nationally for median household income · 49th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Rock Springs's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Rock Springs'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 55 Avg. percentile National median
Rock Springs'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 Springs's home value compares nationally

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

$245,600 45th percentile more affordable than 45% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Rock Springs $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 Springs, WY Rock Springs, WY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rock Springs, WY-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 Springs, WY median $73,307/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 Springs, WY'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 Springs, WY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.8%

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

Population
23,229
Median Income
$73,307
Median Home Value
$245,600
Median Age
35.8
Poverty Rate
14.6%
Labor force participation
64.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1404.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
127.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1277.5
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
43.7°F
Annual Precipitation
7.5"
Annual Snowfall
54.0"

Schools

Total Schools
10
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
22,800 residents23,000 residents23,200 residents23,400 residents23,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 23,490 residents 22,936 residents ▼ -2.4%
Rock Springs's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
17
housing units authorized
Single-Family
17
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 57
2020 39
2021 31
2022 20
2023 23
2024 17

Permit volume decreased 70% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.3 minutes
Drive Alone
81.3%
Carpool
12.8%
Public Transit
1.8%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
1.9%
Other
1.2%

Based on 11,318 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$180
estimated/month

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

Cost of Living Index
92.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$996/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
30.6 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wyoming

Sheridan
19,035 people
Laramie
31,848 people
Gillette
33,278 people
Evanston
11,803 people
Green River
11,679 people
Riverton
10,803 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rock Springs's 23,229 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

North Salt Lake, UT
23,239 people
Linda, CA
23,215 people
Athens, OH
23,211 people
Wilmington, MA
23,195 people
Cockeysville, MD
23,265 people
Union Hill-Novelty Hill, WA
23,272 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rock Springs's $73,307 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Estes Park, CO
$73,313 median income
Post Falls, ID
$73,313 median income
Four Square Mile, CO
$73,318 median income
Bridgeton, MO
$73,320 median income
Rushford, MN
$73,321 median income
Spring City, PA
$73,323 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rock Springs, WY 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 Springs, WY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.1% 10.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17.4% White 80.1% Black or African American 2.1% Asian 1.0% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.3% Two or more races 10.4% 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 Springs compares to nearby Wyoming 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 Springs (this city) 23,229 $73,307
Sheridan 19,035 $61,598
Laramie 31,848 $52,414
Gillette 33,278 $90,699
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WY FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rock Springs, WY?

What is the population of Rock Springs, WY? +

Rock Springs, WY has a population of 23,229 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rock Springs, WY? +

The median household income in Rock Springs is $73,307 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rock Springs? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rock Springs; the closest available measure is the Wyoming state average, a cost of living index of 92.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wyoming vary by metro area.

Is Rock Springs, WY safe? +

Rock Springs has a total crime rate of 1404.8 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Springs, WY? +

Rock Springs's median home value sits at $245,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Rock Springs? +

The average annual temperature in Rock Springs runs 43.7°F, 7.5 inches of precipitation, and 54.0 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.