The Town FilesRockwood, Michigan
City in Wayne County · population 3,240 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $188,600
- Household income
- $88,080
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 42.1
Rockwood is a city of 3,240 people in Wayne County, Michigan. The median home is worth $188,600, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more of a college town than 93% of Michigan towns, more walkable than 88% of Michigan towns, more vibrant than 84% of Michigan towns.
How Rockwood ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rockwood is worth $188,600, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $88,080, which is more affordable than 92% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,037 a month. 75.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rockwood | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $188,600 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,037 | $955 |
| Median household income | $88,080 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 75.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rockwood
| People | Rockwood | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.6% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.4% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 88.8% |
Weather in Rockwood
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 18.1°F. About 33.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.2 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockwood since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 4, 1969 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 24, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on March 27, 1991.
Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996
Wayne County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 8, 2024 | Flood | DR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 15, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4607: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 25, 2014 | Flood | DR-4195: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Wayne County
Wayne County had 725,504 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $76,411 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Rockwood itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Rockwood
4 public schools with 2,757 students, about 20.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oscar A Carlson High School | 9-12 | 1,104 | 22.5 |
| Shumate Middle School | 6-8 | 824 | 20.6 |
| Chapman Elementary School | PK-5 | 444 | 17.8 |
| Parsons Elementary School | PK-5 | 385 | 16.0 |
Towns near Rockwood
- Flat Rock, MI2.4 mi · 10,541 people · home $228,800
- Brownstown, MI2.8 mi · 33,194 people · home $272,700
- Berlin, MI3.0 mi · 9,890 people · home $268,300
- Gibraltar, MI3.2 mi · 4,997 people · home $223,200
- Woodhaven, MI4.4 mi · 12,941 people · home $231,800
- Trenton, MI5.4 mi · 18,544 people · home $210,600
- Grosse Ile, MI6.2 mi · 10,788 people · home $355,900
- Ash, MI6.4 mi · 7,860 people · home $257,900
Rockwood questions
Is Rockwood, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rockwood scores better for retirees than 25% of Michigan towns and quieter than 11%. 18.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.1).
How much does a house cost in Rockwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Rockwood is valued at $188,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,080, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $1,037 a month.
What is the weather like in Rockwood?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 18.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.3 inches of precipitation a year and 41.2 inches of snow.
Does Rockwood get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 4, 1969. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)