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METRO AREA

Rocky Mount Metro

Rocky Mount, NC · 2 counties · 148,486 residents (2025 est.) · 1,045.88 sq mi
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The short version

Rocky Mount has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $58,673. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $168,843.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
144,952
+1%since 2000
from 143,026 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
139 / sq mi
+1%since 2000
from 137 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
41.6
+14%since 2000
from 36.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:148,486 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
131K137K143K149K154K1990201020202024Rocky Mount
2024145K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.7%(8,327)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.5%(9,487)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.9%(8,567)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.3%(9,182)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.7%(8,203)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.4%(17,904)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.4%(16,488)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.1%(17,605)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.1%(20,375)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.2%(17,637)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.4%(7,802)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.3%(3,375)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$58,673
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,751 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$32,903
+92%since 2000
from $17,141 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
39.6%
+18.9 ptssince 2009
from 20.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
15.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2000
from 15.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.454
Unchangedsince 2010
from 0.452 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade18.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.1%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services6.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration4.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$168,843
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,969 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$921
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $474 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
62.6%
−3.7 ptssince 2000
from 66.3% in 2000
37.4% rent
Vacancy rate
12.8%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
19.2%
−8.8 ptssince 2009
from 28.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
38.9%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 42.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
+7%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
33
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Rocky Mount on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic52.6%(75,164)
Black42.9%(61,295)
Hispanic / Latino3.1%(4,493)
Asian0.4%(539)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic42.5%(61,534)
Black45.3%(65,597)
Hispanic / Latino7.5%(10,930)
Asian0.8%(1,093)
Other4%(5,798)
Diversity Score
75
+11%since 2009
from 67 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
34
−2%since 2020
from 34 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
Mexican5.4%(7,865)
Puerto Rican0.6%(923)
Honduran0.4%(515)
Cuban0.3%(269)
Colombian0.2%(219)
Guatemalan0.1%(198)
Peruvian0.2%(177)
Nicaraguan0.1%(114)
Dominican0.1%(89)
Spaniard0.1%(67)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.2%(351)
Pakistani0.2%(209)
Filipino0.1%(187)
Chinese0.1%(182)
Korean0%(58)
Vietnamese0.1%(55)
Japanese0%(30)
Thai0%(17)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.2%(331)
Ancestry
English12.6%(18,286)
American7.5%(10,940)
German3.5%(5,072)
Irish3.5%(5,026)
Italian1%(1,390)
Scottish0.8%(1,138)
French0.8%(1,105)
Arab0.6%(933)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(782)
Swedish0.4%(559)
West Indian0.4%(530)
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.3%(443)
Palestinian0.5%(434)
Nigerian0.3%(433)
Polish0.3%(415)
Moroccan0.4%(338)
Norwegian0.2%(332)
British0.2%(306)
Haitian0.2%(220)
Welsh0.1%(195)
Jamaican0.1%(189)
Hungarian0.1%(172)
Swiss0%(67)
Danish0%(48)
Lebanese0.1%(43)
Ukrainian0%(37)
Jordanian0%(30)
Croatian0%(30)
Ghanaian0.1%(30)
Slovak0%(28)
Russian0%(20)
Canadian0%(19)
Belgian0%(15)
Syrian0%(10)
Czech0%(8)
Greek0%(4)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
20.5%
+6.7 ptssince 2000
from 13.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
86.4%
+14.7 ptssince 2000
from 71.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.7%
+2.8 ptssince 2000
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.3 min
+62%since 2000
from 14.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.9%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 82.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.6%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.8%
+8.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
8.0%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.2%
−5.9 ptssince 2011
from 12.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.1%
−3.0 ptssince 2011
from 62.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
11.9%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
30.5%
−29.8 ptssince 2009
from 60.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.4% in 2009
Female
52.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 52.6% in 2009
Foreign born
3.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.7%
−38.4 ptssince 2009
from 46.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.5%
−0.8 ptssince 2012
from 16.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
11.3%
−71.8 ptssince 2013
from 83.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
83.1%
+18.3 ptssince 2017
from 64.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
91.7%
−2.4 ptssince 2016
from 94.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
7.0%
+2.4 ptssince 2016
from 4.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married38.2%(21,340)
Married47.8%(26,679)
Widowed3.6%(1,995)
Divorced10.4%(5,829)
Women 15+
Never married32.9%(20,626)
Married43.5%(27,264)
Widowed10.5%(6,593)
Divorced13.1%(8,245)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
In this metro

Largest cities

Rocky MountCENTRAL55,120Tarboro10,979Nashville5,911Red Oak3,523Sharpsburg1,798Spring Hope1,383Princeville1,286Elm City1,250Pinetops1,198Dortches1,103Middlesex975Whitakers646Bailey593Macclesfield408Castalia280Momeyer261Conetoe201Speed66Leggett37
What's inside

2 component counties

Nash CountyCENTRAL99,365Edgecombe CountyCENTRAL49,121
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Rocky Mount

Albany
Pop 145,510
Dothan
Pop 156,266
Alexandria
Pop 147,952
Jonesboro
Pop 139,440
Places similar to Rocky Mount
Head to head

Compare Rocky Mount side by side

ROCKY MOUNT VS
Albany
Income$59,461+1%
Home value$151,728−10%
Population145,510−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROCKY MOUNT VS
Dothan
Income$57,746−2%
Home value$171,459+2%
Population156,266+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROCKY MOUNT VS
Alexandria
Income$56,303−4%
Home value$175,518+4%
Population147,952same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROCKY MOUNT VS
Jonesboro
Income$57,416−2%
Home value$192,570+14%
Population139,440−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Rocky Mount, NC?

Rocky Mount, NC has about 144,952 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Rocky Mount, NC?

The typical household in Rocky Mount, NC earns about $58,673 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rocky Mount, NC expensive?

In Rocky Mount, NC, the median home is worth about $168,843, and the typical rent is about $921 a month.

How educated are people in Rocky Mount, NC?

About 20.5% of adults age 25 and over in Rocky Mount, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Rocky Mount, NC?

About 15.2% of people in Rocky Mount, NC live below the federal poverty line.

Has Rocky Mount, NC grown since 1990?

Yes, Rocky Mount, NC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 11,717 residents, a change of about 9 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →