Population 8,260 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Rockdale
Household size in Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.63 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.61 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.68 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.23 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Rockdale run small, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has dropped from 2.63 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 47 of the 545 Texas cities with 5,000+ people have smaller 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 Rockdale
| Period | Rockdale | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.9 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.1 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.1 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.1 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Rockdale are younger than 41.1 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in Texas as a whole, where the median age is 36.7. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.0, 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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.3% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −9.8 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Rockdale: 3.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 9.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only eight of the 545 Texas cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.3% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.1% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.1% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Rockdale own their homes; 26.1% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. More than half of owners (55.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 5.1 points from 2006–10, 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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.2% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.6% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.4% of the housing in Rockdale, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.8 points, as it has 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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +8 | +6 |
The typical home in Rockdale was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in Texas overall, where the median home dates to 1992. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the center.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $644 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $708 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $853 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,396 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$752 | +$639 | +$606 |
Rent in Rockdale runs $1,396 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $752 a month from 2006–10, a 117% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northeast; the most affordable are in the south.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.6% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Rockdale have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.6%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.1 points, mirroring the country.
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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.9% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.8% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 77.8% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.5% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.6 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Rockdale have finished high school as nationally: 89.5%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in Texas as a whole (85.8%). The share with a diploma is up 5.6 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 | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Rockdale than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 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).
Rockdale compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockdale | 2.40 | 41.1 | 3.5% | 26.1% | 15.4% | 1983 | $1,396 | 20.6% | 89.5% | 4.4% |
| Praesel | 2.53 | 46.6 | 11.3% | 6.5% | 10.3% | 2002 | $999 | 24.4% | 93.4% | 6.5% |
| Maysfield | 2.54 | 38.7 | 7.0% | 11.5% | 11.4% | 1985 | $1,128 | 15.9% | 90.8% | 8.8% |
| San Gabriel | 2.58 | 47.8 | 9.4% | 14.2% | 9.5% | 1999 | $1,088 | 28.6% | 89.4% | 3.5% |
| Milano | 2.56 | 47.0 | 3.9% | 6.3% | 19.1% | 1994 | $872 | 20.3% | 90.1% | 6.0% |
| Hoyte | 2.69 | 37.5 | 13.0% | 17.5% | 9.8% | 1993 | $864 | 24.3% | 91.5% | 6.0% |
| Sharp | 2.44 | 55.3 | 2.5% | 3.4% | 10.0% | 2000 | $940 | 17.9% | 91.7% | 0.2% |
| Thorndale | 2.38 | 42.2 | 12.3% | 31.7% | 14.3% | 1984 | $1,064 | 29.8% | 91.5% | 5.5% |
| Thrall | 2.77 | 44.6 | 11.0% | 14.3% | 12.1% | 1989 | $1,236 | 30.3% | 87.1% | 1.8% |
| Hanover | 2.43 | 44.7 | 15.7% | 7.3% | 9.7% | 1989 | $889 | 23.2% | 97.1% | 3.7% |
| Laneport | 2.44 | 54.4 | 7.7% | 17.6% | 10.0% | 1986 | $1,287 | 24.9% | 97.8% | 1.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Princeton, NC · Raton, NM · Raritan, NJ · Ranson, WV · Ranchos de Taos, NM · Ranchettes, WY · Rainsville, AL · Raiford, FL · Quitman, GA · Rawlins, WY
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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