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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Rocky Mount

North Carolina · 49,165 residents · 44.7 sq mi
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The short version

Rocky Mount is home to 49,165 people in North Carolina. Owners hold 52% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $59,100. The average commute runs 14 minutes. 18.1% of people here live below the federal poverty line. The median household earns $24,055, about 20% below the national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 32.9
US median: 33.0
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 9%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

49,165
−12%vs 2000
vs 55,893 in 2000
1990 – 2025
32.9
−7%vs 2000
vs 35.2 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
44.7 sq mi
Population, 19902024
48K51K54K57K60K19902000201020202024Rocky Mount
202454K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.7%(3,770)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.8%(3,840)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.8%(3,831)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197.3%(3,583)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.5%(3,184)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416.5%(8,129)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415.9%(7,837)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 549.3%(4,595)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.3%(4,099)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.6%(3,741)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 843.9%(1,934)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.3%(622)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$24,055
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $32,661 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$12,593
−29%vs 2000
vs $17,804 in 2000
US average: $14,340
18.1%
−2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 20.1% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$59,100
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $85,400 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$364
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $496 in 2000
US average: $450
52.4%
−2.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 55.0% in 2000
47.6% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic40.3%(22,548)
Black55.8%(31,175)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(1,033)
Asian0.7%(375)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic49.8%(24,461)
Black49.7%(24,419)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(206)
Asian0.3%(126)
Other0.3%(159)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.8%(1,539)
Puerto Rican0.7%(386)
Honduran0.7%(373)
Cuban0.3%(168)
Colombian0.3%(153)
Spaniard0.1%(45)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.4%(227)
Pakistani0.4%(209)
Filipino0.3%(172)
Chinese0.2%(108)
Korean0.1%(41)
Japanese0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.6%(308)
Ancestry
English6.7%(3,617)
American5.4%(2,930)
Irish3.1%(1,691)
German2.9%(1,551)
Arab1.2%(638)
French0.9%(467)
Scottish0.8%(437)
Italian0.7%(379)
West Indian0.7%(367)
Nigerian0.6%(342)
Moroccan0.6%(321)
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.6%(314)
Polish0.4%(221)
British0.4%(215)
Palestinian0.4%(213)
Jamaican0.3%(148)
Haitian0.3%(143)
Dutch0.2%(87)
Welsh0.1%(57)
Hungarian0.1%(54)
Norwegian0.1%(53)
Swedish0.1%(38)
Croatian0.1%(30)
Jordanian0%(26)
Swiss0%(22)
Danish0%(19)
Ukrainian0%(19)
Canadian0%(10)
Russian0%(10)
Czech0%(6)
Section 05

Education

16.7%
−3.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 20.1% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
66.9%
−7.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 74.1% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
4.2%
−1.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 6.1% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

14.3 min
+13%vs 2000
vs 12.7 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married44.7%(8,999)
Married40.6%(8,159)
Widowed4.5%(912)
Divorced10.2%(2,045)
Women 15+
Never married40.1%(9,711)
Married34.3%(8,308)
Widowed10.9%(2,652)
Divorced14.7%(3,561)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

11.3%
−5.4 ptssince 2013
from 16.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
43.7%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 44.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.6%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 13.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
22.0%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 22.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
27.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 27.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.3%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 3.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
57.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 57.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 46.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)19.6%(749)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.1%(959)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.7%(1,481)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War8.1%(311)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.4%(14)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 3,824 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Rocky Mount, North Carolina?

Rocky Mount, North Carolina has about 49,165 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Rocky Mount, North Carolina?

The typical household in Rocky Mount, North Carolina earns about $24,055 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rocky Mount, North Carolina expensive?

In Rocky Mount, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $59,100, and the typical rent is about $364 a month.

How educated are people in Rocky Mount, North Carolina?

About 16.7% of adults age 25 and over in Rocky Mount, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Rocky Mount, North Carolina?

About 18.1% of people in Rocky Mount, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →