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Living in
Rocky Mount.
About
Life in Rocky Mount
Rocky Mount offers an affordable lifestyle in a mid-sized city setting with some genuine economic momentum—manufacturing here actually grew 11.8% between 2014 and 2018, well above national trends, and there's real investment happening like CSX's $200 million cargo terminal. The job market is solid with unemployment below the state average, and you're close enough to Raleigh's Research Triangle that some people commute there without it being brutal—average commute is just over 21 minutes. The downtown is experiencing genuine revitalization, particularly around Rocky Mount Mills, a former textile mill turned brewery incubator and event space with summer festivals and new restaurants popping up.
Rocky Mount at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
19.7%
Foreign-Born
3.8%
Broadband Internet
80.7%
of households
Population Growth
+1.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Rocky Mount: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Rocky Mount, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (34.8%), and 4.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.0%
of residents
65 and Older
20.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.9%
of households
Married Couples
28.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.28
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 22% below NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Rocky Mount
In Rocky Mount, rent runs 22% below the NC average, and home values are 43% below the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
88.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,461
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
49.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1979
median year built
Vacant Homes
13.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $186,496 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2.3 pts above NC average
Unemployment in Rocky Mount
Unemployment in Rocky Mount is 2.3 percentage points higher than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Rocky Mount Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.6 min avg
How Rocky Mount residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Rocky Mount, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 75% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 31 mi
Pitt-Greenville Airport (PGV)
Regional airport · few flights41k passengers boarded in 2025
- 56 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M 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 104% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Rocky Mount runs 104% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
672.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,378.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Rocky Mount Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
80.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Nash County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Nash County, which includes Rocky Mount, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $143,000 |
| 2024 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.2M |
| 2023 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $300.1M |
| 2022 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $765,000 |
| 2021 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $22,500 |
| 2020 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.2M |
| 2019 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2018 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $832,500 |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Nash County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Edgecombe County, NC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 12 miles from Rocky Mount) is typically good — 308 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
308
per year
Moderate Days
57
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Edgecombe County, NC (12 mi away)
Climate86°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Rocky Mount has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.7"
Hot Days/Year
37
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
70
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
114
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 31°F | 3.22" |
| Feb | 54°F | 32°F | 3.00" |
| Mar | 61°F | 38°F | 3.85" |
| Apr | 71°F | 47°F | 3.54" |
| May | 78°F | 57°F | 3.63" |
| Jun | 85°F | 65°F | 4.81" |
| Jul | 88°F | 69°F | 5.10" |
| Aug | 85°F | 67°F | 5.28" |
| Sep | 81°F | 62°F | 6.15" |
| Oct | 72°F | 50°F | 3.55" |
| Nov | 65°F | 39°F | 3.20" |
| Dec | 55°F | 34°F | 3.23" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Rocky Mount
Rocky Mount has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Unc Health Nash
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Vidant Edgecombe Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.3 mi away · Tarboro
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.
Education17.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Rocky Mount
Rocky Mount's student/teacher ratio is 17.2:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 22.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Rocky Mount
North Carolina Wesleyan University
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,214 students · in-state tuition $37,856 · 67% graduate · median earnings $49,264 (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: Petersburg National Battlefield, 86 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Rocky Mount
Rocky Mount has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Petersburg National Battlefield (86 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Petersburg National Battlefield
National Battlefield
86 mi awayPublic Libraries in Rocky Mount
Braswell Memorial Public Library
727 N Grace St, Rocky Mount
Cities Near Rocky Mount
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Rocky Mount?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Rocky Mount FAQ
Is Rocky Mount, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Rocky Mount's median rent is $957/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $55,534/year. Median home value is $165,700.
Is Rocky Mount, North Carolina safe?⌄
Rocky Mount's violent crime rate was 672 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3379 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Rocky Mount, North Carolina?⌄
Rocky Mount has an unemployment rate of 6.1%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Rocky Mount, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Rocky Mount is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $957/month and median household income is $55,534/year. The median home value is $165,700. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Rocky Mount, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Rocky Mount is 21 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