Population 29,228 · 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 Rolla: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Rolla
Household size in Rolla
| Period | Rolla | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.28 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Rolla is a place of small households, averaging 2.38 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the west.
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 Rolla
| Period | Rolla | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.8 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.5 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.3 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.7 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.9 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.7, Rolla is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.8, mirroring the country. Of the 191 Missouri cities with 5,000+ people, only 13 are younger.
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 Rolla
| Period | Rolla | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.9% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Rolla than nationally: 12.9%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 4.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Rolla
Renters in Rolla
| Period | Rolla | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 47.4% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.8% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.8% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Rolla than nationally: 47.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 46.6% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 6.4 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only nine of the 191 Missouri cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
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 Rolla
| Period | Rolla | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Rolla than nationally: 13.2%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
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 Rolla
| Period | Rolla | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Rolla are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Rolla
| Period | Rolla | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $652 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $683 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $729 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $821 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$169 | +$383 | +$606 |
The median renter in Rolla pays $821 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $169 a month from 2006–10, a 26% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.7% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the southwest.
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 Rolla
Bachelor's degrees in Rolla
| Period | Rolla | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.3% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.4% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.3% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.1% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Rolla as nationally: 34.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.8 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the northwest.
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 Rolla
| Period | Rolla | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.6% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.0% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.3% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Rolla have finished high school (90.9%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Missouri as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.3 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Rolla
| Period | Rolla | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Rolla than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.8 points since 2006–10, 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).
Rolla 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolla | 2.38 | 34.7 | 12.9% | 47.8% | 13.2% | 1986 | $821 | 34.1% | 90.9% | 4.1% |
| Doolittle | 2.66 | 42.8 | 15.1% | 18.3% | 20.2% | 1981 | $869 | 32.6% | 88.0% | 2.2% |
| Northwye | 3.10 | 40.6 | 9.3% | 15.1% | 12.4% | 1975 | $521 | 24.8% | 88.8% | 1.6% |
| Vida | 2.51 | 42.9 | 8.1% | 4.5% | 9.3% | 1981 | $828 | 36.3% | 95.7% | 0.0% |
| High Gate | 3.31 | 39.8 | 5.1% | 4.1% | 15.8% | 1999 | $1,223 | 31.6% | 83.8% | 2.7% |
| St. James | 2.57 | 43.0 | 13.5% | 30.5% | 18.4% | 1983 | $896 | 28.3% | 87.6% | 5.9% |
| Newburg | 2.59 | 43.6 | 11.8% | 14.6% | 19.1% | 1977 | $823 | 23.6% | 88.4% | 3.7% |
| Safe | 2.98 | 42.1 | 5.3% | 21.1% | 18.0% | 1993 | $901 | 25.9% | 85.3% | 6.8% |
| Seaton | 2.44 | 49.1 | 11.2% | 9.0% | 19.5% | 1989 | $823 | 30.9% | 83.7% | 1.9% |
| Jerome | 2.97 | 35.9 | 10.7% | 9.2% | 17.0% | 1991 | $756 | 24.7% | 92.3% | 4.1% |
| Hayden | 3.22 | 35.0 | 4.0% | 6.3% | 7.0% | 1991 | $623 | 9.5% | 91.1% | 0.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Cheshire, CT · Uniondale, NY · Villa Park, IL · Waynesboro, PA · West Springfield, VA · Westport, CT · Columbus, NE · Clinton, MS · Chicago Heights, IL · Chaska, MN
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 Rolla. 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.