Population 3,376 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Rock Spring: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Rock Spring
Household size in Rock Spring
| Period | Rock Spring | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.83 | 2.18 | 2.73 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.13 | 2.34 | 2.82 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.95 | 2.25 | 2.86 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.98 | 2.22 | 2.77 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.16 | +0.04 | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Rock Spring are large by national standards, averaging 2.98 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.83, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change. Only one other Arlington neighborhood has larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Rock Spring
| Period | Rock Spring | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.9 | 35.4 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.1 | 35.6 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.3 | 36.2 | 38.5 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.4 | 37.3 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.5 | +1.8 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Rock Spring skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Rock Spring has the oldest population of any Arlington neighborhood.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Rock Spring
| Period | Rock Spring | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 6.7% | 11.3% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.7% | 6.2% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 5.4% | 10.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Rock Spring: 5.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Arlington as a whole looks much the same.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Rock Spring
Renters in Rock Spring
| Period | Rock Spring | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 53.1% | 34.0% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 55.2% | 36.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 57.3% | 36.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 58.8% | 36.3% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | +5.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 6.7% of households in Rock Spring rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over a third of owners (35.0%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Rock Spring has the lowest share of renters of any Arlington neighborhood.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Rock Spring
| Period | Rock Spring | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.7% | 10.8% | 8.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.0% | 11.5% | 7.3% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.6% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 8.7% | 5.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.4% of homes in Rock Spring are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Rock Spring has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Arlington neighborhoods.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Rock Spring
| Period | Rock Spring | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1967 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1957 | 1968 | 1978 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1970 | 1979 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1960 | 1973 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Rock Spring is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1960, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Rock Spring has older homes than the great majority of Arlington neighborhoods.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Rock Spring
| Period | Rock Spring | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,998 | $1,605 | $1,470 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $2,001 | $1,748 | $1,583 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $3,220 | $2,202 | $1,907 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,501 | $2,521 | $2,236 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,503 | +$916 | +$766 | +$600 | +$606 |
The median renter in Rock Spring pays $3,501 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 42.8% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Only one other Arlington neighborhood has higher rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Rock Spring
Bachelor's degrees in Rock Spring
| Period | Rock Spring | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.6% | 70.2% | 46.6% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 79.5% | 72.4% | 48.2% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 84.7% | 75.5% | 51.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 84.0% | 76.5% | 53.9% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.5 pts | +6.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Rock Spring is highly educated: just over eight in ten adults 25 and older (84.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Compared with other Arlington neighborhoods, Rock Spring has a higher share of college graduates than most.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Rock Spring
| Period | Rock Spring | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.8% | 92.5% | 89.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.3% | 93.8% | 90.2% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.0% | 94.4% | 90.8% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.9% | 94.9% | 91.2% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Rock Spring: 99.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Rock Spring has the highest share of high school graduates of any Arlington neighborhood.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Rock Spring
| Period | Rock Spring | Arlington | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.5% | 3.3% | 5.9% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 3.8% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.1% | 2.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 3.4% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +0.0 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Rock Spring has been strong: just 2.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Rock Spring compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Spring | 2.98 | 49.4 | 5.2% | 6.7% | 5.4% | 1960 | $3,501 | 84.0% | 99.9% | 2.5% |
| Williamsburg | 2.88 | 44.9 | 4.0% | 7.0% | 8.3% | 1958 | $3,501 | 83.1% | 96.8% | 2.6% |
| Arlington-East Falls | 2.81 | 42.8 | 9.0% | 33.5% | 5.9% | 1969 | $3,500 | 79.4% | 93.3% | 2.6% |
| Waverly Hills | 2.45 | 41.6 | 7.8% | 52.6% | 8.0% | 1960 | $2,231 | 66.4% | 97.5% | 1.1% |
| Donaldson Run | 2.98 | 38.9 | 5.6% | 11.4% | 5.4% | 1957 | $3,048 | 90.3% | 98.2% | 1.4% |
| Cherrydale | 2.66 | 39.3 | 5.8% | 35.8% | 10.3% | 1973 | $2,078 | 84.7% | 97.7% | 2.3% |
| The Palisades | 2.64 | 41.8 | 6.4% | 17.2% | 4.3% | 1955 | $3,001 | 91.6% | 98.6% | 3.4% |
| Bluemont | 2.62 | 35.0 | 6.9% | 38.9% | 8.2% | 1974 | $3,208 | 82.5% | 98.5% | 1.7% |
| Madison Condominium | 2.09 | 39.9 | 6.9% | 66.5% | 6.0% | 1986 | $2,323 | 76.8% | 93.3% | 6.2% |
| Ballston-Virginia Square | 1.71 | 33.5 | 4.4% | 72.3% | 9.0% | 1994 | $2,793 | 88.5% | 98.8% | 2.6% |
| Lyon Village | 2.31 | 34.6 | 2.3% | 57.0% | 5.9% | 1984 | $2,825 | 87.6% | 99.2% | 1.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Rising Sun-Lebanon, Magnolia, DE · Mission Ridge, San Antonio, TX · Monica Park, Garland, TX · Monterey, Jacksonville, FL · Morristown Historic District, Morristown, NJ · Mosswood, Oakland, CA · Navco, Mobile, AL · North End, Phillipsburg, NJ · Painted Meadows, Santa Fe, TX · Palm Springs, Apache Junction, AZ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Rock Spring. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.