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COUNTY

Rock County

Wisconsin · 166,472 residents (2025 est.) · 718 sq mi
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The short version

Rock County is home to 164,350 people in Wisconsin. That puts it in the top 7% of US counties for household income. 26% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 5% of locals were born outside the United States. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $231,600. Owners hold 71% of the housing stock.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
26% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 29%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
164,350
+8%since 2000
from 152,307 in 2000
166,472 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
229 / sq mi
+3%since 2009
from 221 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
40.3
+12%since 2000
from 35.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
718 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
137K144K152K159K167K19902000201020202024Rock County
2024164K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.6%(9,239)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.5%(10,745)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.1%(9,951)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.5%(10,735)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.1%(9,945)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.4%(20,328)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.6%(20,699)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.4%(20,391)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414%(23,049)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.8%(17,802)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845%(8,268)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.9%(3,198)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$75,673
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,517 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,536
+84%since 2000
from $20,895 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
50.4%
+21.5 ptssince 2009
from 28.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
9.3%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.408
+1%since 2010
from 0.404 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade19.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Information13%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing3.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$231,600
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $98,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,037
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $543 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
71.2%
Unchangedsince 2000
from 71.1% in 2000
28.8% rent
Vacancy rate
5.5%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.41 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
18.5%
−7.9 ptssince 2009
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
40.2%
−4.8 ptssince 2009
from 45.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.1
+13%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
50
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic89.2%(135,884)
Black4.6%(6,943)
Hispanic / Latino3.9%(5,953)
Asian0.8%(1,180)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic79.6%(130,867)
Black4.6%(7,584)
Hispanic / Latino10.1%(16,646)
Asian1.1%(1,779)
Other4.5%(7,474)
Diversity Score
44
+47%since 2009
from 30 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
29
−23%since 2020
from 38 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican8.3%(13,597)
Puerto Rican0.5%(820)
Dominican0.3%(445)
Colombian0.2%(261)
Argentine0.1%(203)
Salvadoran0.1%(116)
Spaniard0.1%(104)
Guatemalan0.1%(95)
Cuban0%(55)
Honduran0%(49)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Cambodian0.2%(292)
Chinese0.2%(259)
Hmong0.1%(243)
Filipino0.1%(237)
Vietnamese0.1%(219)
Korean0.1%(177)
Asian Indian0.1%(130)
Laotian0%(77)
Thai0%(27)
Japanese0%(20)
Pakistani0%(18)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(24)
Ancestry
German31.6%(51,874)
Irish13%(21,418)
English9.9%(16,341)
Norwegian9.9%(16,241)
American5.5%(9,045)
Polish3.3%(5,432)
Italian2.9%(4,798)
Swiss1.9%(3,070)
French1.8%(2,985)
Swedish1.8%(2,925)
Dutch1.2%(2,020)
Scottish1.2%(2,017)
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data
Czech0.7%(1,209)
Danish0.6%(1,061)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(739)
Russian0.4%(715)
Welsh0.4%(601)
Austrian0.3%(478)
Finnish0.2%(402)
British0.2%(342)
Lithuanian0.2%(315)
Slovak0.2%(303)
Greek0.2%(268)
Belgian0.2%(260)
Armenian0.1%(220)
Croatian0.1%(197)
Ukrainian0.1%(191)
Portuguese0.1%(162)
Hungarian0.1%(154)
West Indian0.1%(117)
Arab0.1%(104)
Canadian0.1%(92)
Jamaican0.1%(88)
Romanian0%(60)
Lebanese0%(55)
Ghanaian0%(45)
Slovene0%(37)
Haitian0%(29)
Egyptian0%(23)
Serbian0%(22)
Latvian0%(20)
Turkish0%(19)
Nigerian0%(18)
Iranian0%(14)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
25.8%
+9.1 ptssince 2000
from 16.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.6%
+8.7 ptssince 2000
from 83.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.1%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 5.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.8 min
+75%since 2000
from 13.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.1%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 82.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.2%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.2%
+6.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.0%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.8%
−5.8 ptssince 2011
from 9.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
65.2%
−2.6 ptssince 2011
from 67.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
78.7%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 77.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
12.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
33.6%
+5.2 ptssince 2009
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
Female
50.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
Foreign born
4.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.9%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2012
from 13.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.5%
−5.2 ptssince 2013
from 10.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.3%
+15.9 ptssince 2017
from 74.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
95.5%
+4.7 ptssince 2020
from 90.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.6%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 87.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
91.2%
−0.5 ptssince 2016
from 91.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
7.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2016
from 6.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.9%(23,103)
Married50.8%(33,683)
Widowed3.1%(2,022)
Divorced11.2%(7,438)
Women 15+
Never married28.6%(19,487)
Married50.2%(34,197)
Widowed8.6%(5,870)
Divorced12.6%(8,615)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.5%
−5.2 ptssince 2013
from 10.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
61.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 62.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.2%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 14.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
19.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
19.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 20.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
74.5%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 73.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
36.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 36.2% 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)17.2%(1,526)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.6%(1,736)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.2%(2,935)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.8%(424)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.3%(116)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 8,848 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
Drill deeper

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Pop 160,044
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Places similar to Rock County
Head to head

Compare Rock County to nearby counties

ROCK COUNTY VS
Winnebago County
Income$65,837−13%
Home value$164,500−29%
Population283,674+70%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROCK COUNTY VS
Green County
Income$82,852+9%
Home value$250,200+8%
Population37,227−78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROCK COUNTY VS
Walworth County
Income$80,520+6%
Home value$302,700+31%
Population106,127−36%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROCK COUNTY VS
Boone County
Income$84,571+12%
Home value$216,900−6%
Population53,568−68%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Rock County, Wisconsin?

Rock County, Wisconsin has about 164,350 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Rock County, Wisconsin?

The typical household in Rock County, Wisconsin earns about $75,673 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rock County, Wisconsin expensive?

In Rock County, Wisconsin, the median home is worth about $231,600, and the typical rent is about $1,037 a month.

How educated are people in Rock County, Wisconsin?

About 25.8% of adults age 25 and over in Rock County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Rock County, Wisconsin?

About 9.3% of people in Rock County, Wisconsin live below the federal poverty line.

Has Rock County, Wisconsin grown since 1990?

Yes, Rock County, Wisconsin has grown since 1990. The population has added about 24,840 residents, a change of about 18 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →

Rock County, Wisconsin: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy