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Living in
Rolla.
About
Life in Rolla
Living in Rolla means settling into a compact college town with genuine affordability and a stable job market anchored by Missouri S&T, the USGS research facilities, and manufacturing operations like Royal Canin and Brewer Science. The median household income sits around $46,204, and you're looking at a median home value about $190,000 with rent averaging around $790 a month—costs that let you actually build savings instead of hemorrhaging money to housing. The unemployment rate hovers near 4%, which is solid, though the town's population has been essentially flat, so don't expect explosive growth or constant new development.
Rolla at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
28.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
23.6%
Foreign-Born
7.9%
Broadband Internet
89.8%
of households
Population Growth
+3.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.9% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Rolla: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Rolla, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (39.0%), and 3.7% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
18.5%
of residents
65 and Older
14.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.0%
of households
Married Couples
29.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.20
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 24% below MO average
Rent, home values, and income in Rolla
In Rolla, rent runs 24% below the MO average, and home values are 19% below the MO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.1%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,360
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
39.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1985
median year built
Vacant Homes
13.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $241,193 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MO
Unemployment in Rolla
Unemployment in Phelps County, which includes Rolla, is close to the MO average.
Unemployment rate
Rolla: Phelps County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Phelps County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Rolla Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute13.9 min avg
How Rolla residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Rolla, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 90% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 25 mi
Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport-Forney Field (TBN)
Regional airport · few flights11k passengers boarded in 2025
- 94 mi
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
Medium hub7.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 14% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Rolla runs 14% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
374.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,225.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Rolla Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
53.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Phelps County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Phelps County, which includes Rolla, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | Flood | $2.5M |
| 2024 | 21 | Hail | $2.1M |
| 2023 | 16 | Drought | $35,000 |
| 2022 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | $430,000 |
| 2021 | 13 | Winter Weather | $70,000 |
| 2020 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $38,000 |
| 2019 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $55,000 |
| 2018 | 10 | Hail | $6,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Phelps County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate87°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Rolla has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
44°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.7"
Annual Snowfall
17.3"
Hot Days/Year
43
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
96
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
120
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 22°F | 2.73" |
| Feb | 46°F | 26°F | 2.49" |
| Mar | 56°F | 35°F | 4.14" |
| Apr | 67°F | 45°F | 4.90" |
| May | 76°F | 56°F | 5.48" |
| Jun | 84°F | 65°F | 4.37" |
| Jul | 89°F | 69°F | 4.74" |
| Aug | 88°F | 67°F | 4.52" |
| Sep | 80°F | 59°F | 4.00" |
| Oct | 69°F | 47°F | 3.26" |
| Nov | 56°F | 36°F | 3.92" |
| Dec | 45°F | 27°F | 2.83" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Rolla
Rolla has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Phelps County Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Rolla
Rolla's student/teacher ratio is 15.6:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 35.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
35.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Rolla
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Public · 4-year · 5,521 students · in-state tuition $15,746 · 67% graduate · median earnings $85,917 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ozark National Scenic Riverways, 62 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Rolla
Rolla has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ozark National Scenic Riverways (62 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ozark National Scenic Riverways
National Scenic Riverways
62 mi awayUlysses S Grant National Historic Site
National Historic Site
87 mi awaySte. Geneviève National Historical Park
National Historical Park
94 mi awayGateway Arch National Park
National Park
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Rolla
Rolla Public Library
900 Pine St, Rolla
Cities Near Rolla
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Rolla?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Rolla FAQ
Is Rolla, Missouri affordable?⌄
Rolla's median rent is $789/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $46,204/year. Median home value is $187,000.
Is Rolla, Missouri safe?⌄
Rolla's violent crime rate was 374 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2226 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Rolla, Missouri?⌄
Phelps County, which includes Rolla, has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Rolla, Missouri?⌄
The cost of living in Rolla is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $789/month and median household income is $46,204/year. The median home value is $187,000. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Rolla, Missouri?⌄
The average commute in Rolla is 14 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from