The Town FilesRockvale, Tennessee
Community in Rutherford County · population 1,279 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $449,500
- Household income
- $86,404
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 41.1
Rockvale is a community of 1,279 people in Rutherford County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $449,500, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for families than 97% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 91% of Tennessee towns, more upscale than 86% of Tennessee towns.
How Rockvale 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 Rockvale is worth $449,500, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $86,404, which is more affordable than 10% of Tennessee towns. 98.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rockvale | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $449,500 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | — | $863 |
| Median household income | $86,404 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 98.9% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 2006 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rockvale
| People | Rockvale | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.7% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 28.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.2% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.7% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 13.7% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 45.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 71.3% | 88.2% |
Weather in Rockvale
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 26.1°F. About 57.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.7 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 92 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockvale since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 10, 2009 about 5.3 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 118 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on March 26, 1959.
Severe weather in Rutherford County since 1996
Rutherford County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 7, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4701: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Rutherford County
Rutherford County had 149,355 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,681 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Rockvale itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Rockvale
3 public schools with 4,685 students, about 17.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockvale High School | 9-12 | 2,178 | 16.8 |
| Rockvale Middle School | 6-8 | 1,524 | 18.6 |
| Rockvale Elementary | PK-5 | 983 | 16.1 |
Towns near Rockvale
- Christiana, TN6.9 mi · 4,305 people · home $361,900
- Eagleville, TN7.5 mi · 813 people · home $416,700
- Murfreesboro, TN8.3 mi · 152,769 people · home $402,100
- Unionville, TN11.1 mi · 1,394 people · home $280,500
- Chapel Hill, TN13.7 mi · 1,717 people · home $311,100
- Smyrna, TN14.0 mi · 53,070 people · home $358,300
- Nolensville, TN15.6 mi · 13,829 people · home $777,800
- La Vergne, TN17.8 mi · 38,719 people · home $309,900
Rockvale questions
Is Rockvale, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rockvale scores better for retirees than 75% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 50%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in Rockvale?
The median owner-occupied home in Rockvale is valued at $449,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,404, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Rockvale?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 26.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.9 inches of precipitation a year and 1.7 inches of snow.
Does Rockvale get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockvale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on April 10, 2009. 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)