The Town FilesRock, Wisconsin
Town in Rock County · population 2,981 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $262,600
- Household income
- $71,065
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 38.8
Rock is a town of 2,981 people in Rock County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $262,600, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more vibrant than 83% of Wisconsin towns.
How Rock ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rock is worth $262,600, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $71,065, which is more affordable than 23% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $944 a month. 78.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rock | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $262,600 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $944 | $951 |
| Median household income | $71,065 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 78.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rock
| People | Rock | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 17.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 89.1% |
Weather in Rock
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 11.6°F. About 37.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.6 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rock since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on January 24, 1967 about 4.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 4, 1975.
Severe weather in Rock County since 1996
Rock County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 19, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3285: Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
Jobs and pay in Rock County
Rock County had 69,595 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,381 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Rock itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Rock
- Beloit, WI5.2 mi · 7,721 people · home $219,000
- Janesville, WI5.3 mi · 65,615 people · home $223,400
- Beloit, WI7.9 mi · 36,657 people · home $156,500
- Harmony, WI9.3 mi · 2,569 people · home $357,800
- South Beloit, IL10.2 mi · 7,989 people · home $173,000
- Fulton, WI11.6 mi · 3,580 people · home $343,700
- Rockton, IL12.5 mi · 7,863 people · home $235,400
- Milton, WI12.5 mi · 5,716 people · home $249,200
Rock questions
Is Rock, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rock scores better for retirees than 3% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 16%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Rock?
The median owner-occupied home in Rock is valued at $262,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,065, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $944 a month.
What is the weather like in Rock?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 11.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.4 inches of precipitation a year and 36.6 inches of snow.
Does Rock get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rock since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on January 24, 1967. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)