Janesville
RANK #54 / 996 NAT · #6 / 29 WI · POP 163,817
1YR FORECAST: +5.4%
5YR OUTLOOK: +39%
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.
Below national median
Below-average climate & terrain
Below national median (13x)
Housing looks undervalued at 3.8x — home prices are low 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.
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 996 counties.
Rock County ranks #54 out of 996 U.S. counties on the Boom Town Index with a score of 95/100, putting it in the top tier nationally. Job growth of +1.3% and a median household income of $70,630 point to a county with active economic momentum.
By national standards, Rock County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $193,000, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.37 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $981/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Employers in Rock County are hiring — job growth of +1.3% — but the population is close to flat (+0.2% YoY). Home values moved +6.9% over the past year. Labor demand is outpacing local population growth, which tends to tighten wages and housing.
Not particularly — 1.9% of Rock County's population moved in from another state, which is below the national average. Most residents are long-term locals rather than recent transplants.
Home values climbed +6.9% year-over-year, which is a solid pace of appreciation. The median home in Rock County is now valued at $193,000. That kind of growth typically reflects sustained demand rather than speculative frenzy.