RANK #87 / 1001 NAT · #5 / 29 WI · POP 164,350
1YR FORECAST: +3.5%
5YR OUTLOOK: +37%
The Milton House Museum, a certified Underground Railroad site, offers a unique historical experience in Rock County, Wisconsin. Located in southern Wisconsin near the Illinois border, Rock County is approximately an hour south of Madison. The county seat, Janesville, is known as "Wisconsin's Park Place" with 2,500 acres of parkland and thirteen historic districts. Commute times average under 24 minutes, with local bus services available in Janesville and Beloit, and a shuttle connecting to UW-Whitewater at Rock County. Outdoor recreation is abundant, with miles of trails for biking, hiking, and horseback riding, including portions of the Ice Age Trail, and numerous golf courses and waterways like the Rock River and Lake Koshkonong for fishing and boating.
Rock County offers a quality of life that attracts families and young professionals, with a high homeownership rate. The public school districts in Rock County are generally above average. The economy is driven by diverse sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, and retail trade. Recent economic developments show growth in construction and manufacturing, with increasing employment in warehousing and food manufacturing. The county has seen investment in sectors like data centers and energy.
Rock County is one of 145 U.S. counties in this market profile — stronger than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +7.1% runs above the profile's typical +4.9%.
See all 145 Heartland Steady Growth counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Below-average climate & terrain
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 8.7x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Viridian Janesville Data Center (Former GM Plant)
Viridian Acquisitions LLC
|
$8,000M | Proposed |
|
Meta 'Project Cornmaze' Data Center Campus
Meta (via Cambrin LLC)
|
$1,000M | Proposed |
|
Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Storage Facility
Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL)
|
$517M | Planned |
|
Dawn Harvest Solar Energy Center
Invenergy (to be owned by We Energies, WPS, MGE)
|
$200M | Under Construction |
|
Paddock Solar Project
Alliant Energy
|
$65M | Operating |
|
North Rock Solar Project
Alliant Energy
|
$50M | Operating |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
Rock County ranks #87 out of 1001 U.S. counties on the Boom Town Index with a score of 91/100, placing it in the top tier nationally. Median household income is $75,673 and the underlying growth metrics (housing, migration, income) hold up against peer counties.
Housing in Rock County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $231,600 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.33, with rents averaging $1,037/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Population and employment in Rock County are both close to flat — population +0.2% YoY and jobs +0.1%. Home values shifted +7.1% over the past 12 months. A steady-state county, neither expanding quickly nor shrinking.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.31% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Rock County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.
Home values climbed +7.1% year-over-year, which is a solid pace of appreciation. The median home in Rock County is now valued at $231,600. That kind of growth typically reflects sustained demand rather than speculative frenzy.