Population 20,656 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rockdale
Household size in Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.74 | 2.70 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.83 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.39 | 2.81 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.22 | 2.79 | 2.73 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | +0.05 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Rockdale are small: just 2.22 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.35, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5 | 35.5 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.9 | 36.5 | 36.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.0 | 37.5 | 38.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.8 | 38.2 | 38.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +2.7 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Rockdale is young: half of its residents are under 35.8, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 32.5, in line with the national trend.
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 Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 13.3% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 13.6% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 12.5% | 13.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 12.7% | 13.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Rockdale (11.6%), the same as the national share. Single parents are less common here than in the Atlanta area overall (12.7%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Rockdale
Renters in Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.0% | 32.1% | 32.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 49.6% | 35.5% | 35.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.5% | 36.7% | 36.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.3% | 33.9% | 34.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | +1.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Rockdale than nationally: 45.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. About one in six owners (17.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 3.7 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.0% | 11.9% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 11.4% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 8.6% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.0% | 8.0% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Rockdale than nationally: 13.0%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 7.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1988 | 1985 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1989 | 1987 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1990 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1993 | 1993 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +25 | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Rockdale has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1993, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1968 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Rockdale has newer homes than the great majority of Atlanta 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 Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $772 | $1,050 | $910 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,014 | $1,116 | $977 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,172 | $1,293 | $1,112 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,694 | $1,799 | $1,520 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$922 | +$749 | +$609 | +$606 |
Rent in Rockdale runs $1,694 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the Atlanta area overall ($1,799). Rents are up $922 a month from 2006–10, a 119% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 33.0% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a bigger share than renters pay nationally.
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 Rockdale
Bachelor's degrees in Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.2% | 34.5% | 28.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 46.7% | 35.2% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.9% | 38.2% | 31.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 58.9% | 42.0% | 35.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +24.7 pts | +7.5 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Rockdale: 58.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 24.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.4% | 87.2% | 84.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.6% | 88.0% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.1% | 89.4% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 90.9% | 89.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +12.7 pts | +3.6 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Rockdale is above the national rate: 93.1% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 12.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Atlanta area | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 9.0% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 10.7% | 10.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 5.2% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.6 pts | −3.8 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Rockdale: 7.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.6 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Rockdale 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockdale | 2.22 | 35.8 | 11.6% | 45.3% | 13.0% | 1993 | $1,694 | 58.9% | 93.1% | 7.5% |
| Oakdale | 2.11 | 38.9 | 12.7% | 43.3% | 7.7% | 1985 | $2,142 | 77.2% | 98.8% | 2.7% |
| Grove Park | 2.54 | 34.5 | 20.9% | 50.0% | 15.8% | 1969 | $1,346 | 32.0% | 87.5% | 7.2% |
| Home Park | 1.77 | 30.5 | 4.2% | 73.7% | 10.5% | 1999 | $1,957 | 80.1% | 96.6% | 4.4% |
| Center Hill | 2.34 | 43.3 | 19.8% | 54.2% | 11.0% | 1975 | $1,217 | 28.9% | 86.3% | 6.6% |
| Vine City | 2.07 | 36.0 | 14.6% | 70.2% | 30.7% | 1991 | $1,449 | 37.9% | 90.2% | 4.8% |
| Downtown | 1.78 | 29.2 | 8.9% | 76.7% | 14.3% | 1992 | $1,802 | 61.1% | 96.0% | 10.4% |
| West End | 2.09 | 40.3 | 13.4% | 61.6% | 12.7% | 1971 | $1,094 | 40.6% | 88.0% | 7.2% |
| Midtown Atlanta | 1.56 | 34.3 | 3.0% | 55.4% | 12.2% | 1995 | $2,139 | 84.3% | 98.9% | 3.3% |
| University Center | 1.92 | 27.3 | 17.0% | 75.7% | 20.5% | 1991 | $956 | 53.3% | 91.7% | 16.0% |
| Cascade Heights | 2.46 | 42.0 | 19.6% | 46.6% | 11.4% | 1969 | $1,251 | 35.4% | 90.5% | 7.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Sommerset West-Elmonica South, Hillsboro, OR · Eldridge-West Oaks, Houston, TX · East Side, Chicago, IL · Tribeca, Manhattan, NY · Ukrainian Village, Chicago, IL · Flour Bluff, Corpus Christi, TX · Chevy Chase, Washington, DC · Central, Boston, MA · Camp Pendleton South, Oceanside, CA · Weston Ranch, Stockton, CA
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 Rockdale. 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.
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