The Town FilesRock Springs, Wyoming
City in Sweetwater County · population 23,526 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $256,200
- Household income
- $69,168
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 35.9
Rock Springs is a city of 23,526 people in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The median home is worth $256,200, below the typical Wyoming town ($270,400). It ranks more vibrant than 82% of Wyoming towns, better transit than 80% of Wyoming towns, more walkable than 78% of Wyoming towns.
How Rock Springs ranks
Percentile among Wyoming towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wyoming towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rock Springs is worth $256,200, below the typical Wyoming town ($270,400). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $69,168, which is more affordable than 50% of Wyoming towns. Median rent is $928 a month. 72.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rock Springs | Typical Wyoming town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $256,200 | $270,400 |
| Median rent | $928 | $902 |
| Median household income | $69,168 | $69,545 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 72.4% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Rock Springs
| People | Rock Springs | Typical Wyoming town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 39.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.8% | 18.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 24.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.1% | 9.8% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.3% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 17.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 89.6% |
Weather in Rock Springs
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 12.4°F. About 10.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.3 inches of snow (typical Wyoming town: 55.7 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Rock Springs since 1950, compared with 4 for the typical Wyoming town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 31, 1978 about 2.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 31, 1978.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 26, 2023.
Severe weather in Sweetwater County since 1996
Sweetwater County has been included in 4 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, biological, severe storm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 11, 2020 | Biological | DR-4535: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3479: Covid-19 |
| July 22, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4007: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| June 15, 1977 | Drought | EM-3043: Drought |
Jobs and pay in Sweetwater County
Sweetwater County had 20,698 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,269 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Rock Springs itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Rock Springs
11 public schools with 4,674 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Springs High School | 9-12 | 1,466 | 18.1 |
| Rock Springs Junior High | 7-8 | 745 | 15.5 |
| Pilot Butte Elementary | 4-6 | 552 | 15.3 |
| Eastside Elementary | 4-6 | 500 | 14.7 |
| Stagecoach Elementary | K-3 | 395 | 11.3 |
| Sage Elementary | K-3 | 363 | 13.4 |
| Walnut Elementary | K-3 | 207 | 10.9 |
| Desert View Elementary | K-3 | 180 | 10.6 |
| Northpark Elementary | K-3 | 164 | 9.1 |
| Black Butte High School | 9-12 | 102 | 9.3 |
| Roosevelt Learning Center | 1-12 | — | — |
Towns near Rock Springs
- Clearview Acres, WY3.1 mi · 758 people · home —
- Reliance, WY5.2 mi · 622 people · home $28,700
- North Rock Springs, WY6.2 mi · 2,439 people · home $313,000
- Green River, WY14.1 mi · 11,825 people · home $263,400
Rock Springs questions
Is Rock Springs, Wyoming a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rock Springs scores better for retirees than 13% of Wyoming towns and quieter than 17%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Rock Springs?
The median owner-occupied home in Rock Springs is valued at $256,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,168, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $928 a month.
What is the weather like in Rock Springs?
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 12.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.4 inches of precipitation a year and 31.3 inches of snow.
Does Rock Springs get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Rock Springs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 31, 1978. The typical Wyoming town has had 4.
- 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)