About
Life in Rock Springs
Rock Springs is a community of 23,229 people in Wyoming. The median household income is $69,168, median rent runs about $928 per month, and median home values are around $256,200. Unemployment is low at 3.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Rock Springs at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.1%
Foreign-Born
5.4%
Broadband Internet
90.2%
of households
Population Growth
-2.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Rock Springs: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Rock Springs, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (66.0%), and 7.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.9%
of residents
65 and Older
12.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.4%
of households
Married Couples
43.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.36
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 6% below WY average
Rent, home values, and income in Rock Springs
In Rock Springs, rent runs 6% below the WY average, and home values are 17% below the WY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.9%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,561
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
72.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1981
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $288,146 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above WY average
Unemployment in Rock Springs
Unemployment in Sweetwater County, which includes Rock Springs, is 0.4 percentage points higher than the WY average.
Unemployment rate
Rock Springs: Sweetwater County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Sweetwater County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Rock Springs Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.5 min avg
How Rock Springs residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Rock Springs, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 73% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport (RKS)
Regional airport · few flights26k 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 56% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Rock Springs runs 56% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
144.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
871.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Rock Springs Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 23 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
30.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Sweetwater County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Sweetwater County, which includes Rock Springs, the most common type is high wind, with 23 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | High Wind | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 18 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 17 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 21 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 23 | High Wind | $750,000 |
| 2020 | 28 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 18 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2018 | 22 | High Wind | None reported |
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.
42 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Sweetwater County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Sweetwater County, which includes Rock Springs, is typically good — 266 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
266
per year
Moderate Days
91
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Sweetwater County, county-wide
Climate83°F summers, 13°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Rock Springs has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 13°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/30°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/49°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/31°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/13°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
10.3"
Annual Snowfall
31.3"
Hot Days/Year
15
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
184
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
62
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°F | 12°F | 0.45" |
| Feb | 38°F | 15°F | 0.43" |
| Mar | 49°F | 23°F | 0.61" |
| Apr | 57°F | 30°F | 1.07" |
| May | 67°F | 37°F | 1.88" |
| Jun | 79°F | 45°F | 0.82" |
| Jul | 86°F | 53°F | 0.92" |
| Aug | 84°F | 51°F | 0.89" |
| Sep | 75°F | 41°F | 1.17" |
| Oct | 61°F | 31°F | 1.03" |
| Nov | 45°F | 21°F | 0.66" |
| Dec | 33°F | 12°F | 0.52" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Rock Springs
Rock Springs has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
13.4%
of residents
Memorial Hospital Sweetwater County
Critical Access 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.
Education14.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Rock Springs
Rock Springs's student/teacher ratio is 14.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 21.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Rock Springs
Western Wyoming Community College
Public · 2-year · 1,319 students · in-state tuition $4,710 · 29% graduate · median earnings $46,249 (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: Oregon National Historic Trail, 35 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Rock Springs
Rock Springs has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Oregon National Historic Trail (35 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Oregon National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
35 mi awayPony Express National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
44 mi awayCalifornia National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
62 mi awayDinosaur National Monument
National Monument
77 mi awayFossil Butte National Monument
National Monument
82 mi awayPublic Libraries in Rock Springs
Community Fine Arts Center Branch Library
400 C Street, Rock Springs
Rock Springs Library
400 C Street, Rock Springs
White Mountain Library
2935 Sweetwater Drive, Rock Springs
Cities Near Rock Springs
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Rock Springs?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Rock Springs FAQ
Is Rock Springs, Wyoming affordable?⌄
Rock Springs's median rent is $928/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $69,168/year. Median home value is $256,200.
Is Rock Springs, Wyoming safe?⌄
Rock Springs's violent crime rate was 145 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 871 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Rock Springs, Wyoming?⌄
Sweetwater County, which includes Rock Springs, has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Rock Springs, Wyoming?⌄
The cost of living in Rock Springs is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $928/month and median household income is $69,168/year. The median home value is $256,200. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Rock Springs, Wyoming?⌄
The average commute in Rock Springs is 23 minutes, which is about 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