The Town FilesRocky Mount, Virginia
Town in Franklin County · population 4,903 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $207,000
- Household income
- $63,280
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 45.6
Rocky Mount is a town of 4,903 people in Franklin County, Virginia. The median home is worth $207,000, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 73% of Virginia towns.
How Rocky Mount ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rocky Mount is worth $207,000, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $63,280, which is more affordable than 71% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $890 a month. 56.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rocky Mount | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $207,000 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $890 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $63,280 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 56.4% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rocky Mount
| People | Rocky Mount | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.6 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.9% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.6% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.8% | 91.8% |
Weather in Rocky Mount
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 26.4°F. About 49.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.6 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 104 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rocky Mount since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on April 19, 2019 about 4.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 19, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 53 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 22, 1956.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 4, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4863: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| May 10, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4602: Severe Winter Storms |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 15,666 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,740 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Rocky Mount itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Rocky Mount
5 public schools with 4,194 students, about 10.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County High | 9-12 | 1,899 | 10.1 |
| Benjamin Franklin Middle | 6-8 | 1,391 | 10.3 |
| Lee M. Waid Elementary | PK-5 | 403 | 12.2 |
| Rocky Mount Elementary | PK-5 | 285 | 8.6 |
| Sontag Elementary | PK-5 | 216 | 9.0 |
Towns near Rocky Mount
- North Shore, VA14.1 mi · 3,332 people · home $504,400
- Cave Spring, VA16.8 mi · 26,755 people · home $325,800
- Vinton, VA18.6 mi · 8,059 people · home $190,900
- Roanoke, VA19.4 mi · 100,011 people · home $190,500
- Collinsville, VA19.6 mi · 7,380 people · home $146,700
- Salem, VA21.6 mi · 25,346 people · home $258,600
- Martinsville, VA22.2 mi · 13,485 people · home $98,400
- Hollins, VA23.8 mi · 15,574 people · home $244,300
Rocky Mount questions
Is Rocky Mount, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rocky Mount scores better for retirees than 40% of Virginia towns and quieter than 42%. 22.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.6).
How much does a house cost in Rocky Mount?
The median owner-occupied home in Rocky Mount is valued at $207,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,280, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $890 a month.
What is the weather like in Rocky Mount?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 26.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.2 inches of precipitation a year and 12.6 inches of snow.
Does Rocky Mount get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rocky Mount since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on April 19, 2019. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- 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)