The Town FilesRockford, Tennessee
City in Blount County · population 822 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $283,500
- Household income
- $71,094
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 43.5
Rockford is a city of 822 people in Blount County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $283,500, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 95% of Tennessee towns, more walkable than 81% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 80% of Tennessee towns.
How Rockford ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rockford is worth $283,500, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $71,094, which is more affordable than 40% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $965 a month. 68.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rockford | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $283,500 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $965 | $863 |
| Median household income | $71,094 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 68.5% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rockford
| People | Rockford | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.5 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.0% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.9% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.0% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 19.2 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 88.2% |
Weather in Rockford
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 30.0°F. About 51.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.6 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 67 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockford since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 3, 1974 about 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 7, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 100 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 21, 1998.
Severe weather in Blount County since 1996
Blount County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3473: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Blount County
Blount County had 56,991 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,177 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Rockford itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Rockford
1 public school with 405 students, about 18.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford Elementary | PK-5 | 405 | 18.4 |
Towns near Rockford
- Alcoa, TN2.2 mi · 10,978 people · home $277,100
- Eagleton Village, TN3.2 mi · 5,393 people · home $197,700
- Wildwood, TN4.5 mi · 1,157 people · home $212,200
- Maryville, TN6.5 mi · 31,907 people · home $358,100
- Louisville, TN6.6 mi · 4,384 people · home $379,900
- Knoxville, TN9.4 mi · 190,740 people · home $239,700
- Seymour, TN10.3 mi · 14,705 people · home $308,100
- Friendsville, TN12.2 mi · 896 people · home $217,800
Rockford questions
Is Rockford, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rockford scores better for retirees than 36% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 48%. 26.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.5).
How much does a house cost in Rockford?
The median owner-occupied home in Rockford is valued at $283,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,094, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $965 a month.
What is the weather like in Rockford?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 30.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.9 inches of precipitation a year and 4.6 inches of snow.
Does Rockford get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 3, 1974. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- 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)