Rock County, Wisconsin Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 9th-largest in Wisconsin

The population of Rock County, Wisconsin is 163,944 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 9th-largest county in Wisconsin. The median household income is $74,390, the median home value is $215,900, and the median age is 40.1.

The population of Rock County has grown 3.2% since 2010 (160,261 → 165,461), a +0.23% annualized rate.

Rock County within Wisconsin · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

163,944

Population

+0.23%

Annual growth

228

People / sq mi

$74,390

Median Income

$215,900

Median Home Value

Rock County covers 718 sq mi of land at 228.3 people per square mile.

About Rock County, WI

Rock County is a county in Wisconsin with a population of 163,944. It ranks #9 among counties in Wisconsin by population. The median age is 40.1, older than the national median. The population is 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

The median household income in Rock County is $74,390, near the US median of $74,580. 6.8% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $215,900, with monthly rent averaging $1,019. The homeownership rate of 70.6% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Rock County reflects 25.7% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 8.2% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 23.6 minutes each way.

Rock County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Rock County had a population of 160,261 in 2010 and 165,461 in 2024, a 3.2% growth over 14 years. The peak was 165,461 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.23%.

165,461

Population (2024)

160,261

Population (2010)

165,461

Peak (2024)

0.23%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	160,261	-	-	estimate
2011	159,899	-362	-0.23%	estimate
2012	160,113	+214	+0.13%	estimate
2013	160,402	+289	+0.18%	estimate
2014	160,999	+597	+0.37%	estimate
2015	161,095	+96	+0.06%	estimate
2016	161,363	+268	+0.17%	estimate
2017	162,278	+915	+0.57%	estimate
2018	162,817	+539	+0.33%	estimate
2019	163,120	+303	+0.19%	estimate
2020	163,761	+641	+0.39%	estimate
2021	164,128	+367	+0.22%	estimate
2022	163,959	-169	-0.10%	estimate
2023	164,443	+484	+0.30%	estimate
2024	165,461	+1,018	+0.62%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	82.3%
Black or African American	4.7%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.3%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

40.1

Median Age

50.3%

Female

49.7%

Male

17.4%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.7%

5–9

6.4%

10–14

6.4%

15–19

6.6%

20–24

6.0%

25–34

12.2%

35–44

12.6%

45–54

12.5%

55–59

6.8%

60–64

7.4%

65–74

10.5%

75–84

4.9%

85+

2.0%

Children (under 15): 18.5% · Seniors (65+): 17.4%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$74,390$-1,280 vs state
Mean household income	$89,673
Per-capita income	$37,428
Poverty rate	6.8%+0.2% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.6%
Employment-to-population	62.5%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

22.2%

Manufacturing

19.9%

Education & health care

7.2%

Finance & real estate

7.2%

Construction

7.1%

Retail trade

5.5%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.2%

Information

3.8%

The largest employment sector in Rock County is professional & business services, accounting for 22.2% of workers.

How residents commute

0.5%

Drive alone

1.8%

Carpool

80.3%

Public transit

8.2%

Work from home

23.6 min

Avg commute

Housing

$215,900$-31,500 vs state

Median home value

$1,019

Median rent

70.6%

Homeownership rate

70,694

Total housing units

94.3%

Occupied

5.7%

Vacant

29.4%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

94.8%

With health insurance

94.9%

With broadband internet

24.5%

Foreign-born

7.1%

Veterans (18+)

13.1%

With a disability

91.3%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

92.6%

High School+

25.7%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Wisconsin

Milwaukee (569,756)Madison (275,568)Green Bay (106,585)Kenosha (99,147)Racine (77,155)Appleton (74,873)Waukesha (70,779)Eau Claire (69,274)Oshkosh (66,247)Janesville (65,813)All Wisconsin cities →

Other counties in Wisconsin

Milwaukee County (927,656)Dane County (564,777)Waukesha County (409,040)Brown County (269,425)Racine County (196,888)Outagamie County (191,537)Winnebago County (171,357)Kenosha County (168,413)Marathon County (138,067)Washington County (137,320)All Wisconsin counties →

Part of Wisconsin

Wisconsin demographic profile All Wisconsin data →

Metro areas in Wisconsin

Minneapolis (3,693,351)Milwaukee (1,566,361)Madison (683,967)Green Bay (329,375)Duluth (280,710)Appleton (244,163)Racine (196,888)Eau Claire (172,886)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Rock County, Wisconsin has a population of 163,944 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 9th-largest county in Wisconsin. Population density is 228 people per square mile.

The population of Rock County has grown 3.2% since 2010 (160,261 → 165,461), a +0.23% annualized rate.

The median household income in Rock County, Wisconsin is $74,390, with mean (average) household income of $89,673 and per-capita income of $37,428. 6.8% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Rock County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (82.3%), Black or African American (4.7%), Hispanic or Latino (1.3%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Rock County, Wisconsin is 40.1 years. Residents are 50.3% female and 49.7% male.

The median home value in Rock County is $215,900 and median monthly rent is $1,019. 70.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 70,694 total housing units, 5.7% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Rock County, Wisconsin is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 22.2% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.6%.

Milwaukee is among the largest cities associated with Rock County, Wisconsin, with a population of 569,756.