Median Income
$40,347
household / year
Median Home Value
$43,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$540
gross / month
Cost of Living
81
national avg = 100

Is Rough Rock, AZ a Good Place to Live?

Rough Rock is a small town of 423 in Arizona, with a median household income of $40,347 and a 2.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 81 (US average = 100), which is 19% below the national average.

Strengths: Rough Rock stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Rough Rock is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Rough Rock city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 81.1

Rough Rock's overall cost of living index is 81.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Rough Rock costs roughly 19% less than the average American city.

Metric Rough Rock, AZ National Avg
Median Home Value $43,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $540 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 66.7% 65.9%
Median Household Income $40,347 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Rough Rock's violent crime rate is 84.9 per 100,000 residents — 78% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
84.9 /100k
Property Crime
210.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric Rough Rock, AZ National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 8.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 75.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Rough Rock sees average highs of 43.8°F in January and 92.9°F in July, with 8.8 inches of annual precipitation and 4.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricRough Rock, AZ
Average High — January43.8°F
Average High — July92.9°F
Annual Precipitation8.8"
Annual Snowfall4.9"

Demographics

MetricRough Rock, AZNational Avg
Population423—
Median Age43.938.9
Unemployment Rate2.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time19.2 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)0.7%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.0%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1818.4%22.2%
65 and over16.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Chilchinbito, AZ 12 mi Many Farms, AZ 14 mi Cottonwood, AZ 23 mi Round Rock, AZ 23 mi Chinle, AZ 24 mi

Rough Rock vs Other Cities

Rough Rock, AZ vs Chilchinbito, AZ Rough Rock, AZ vs Many Farms, AZ Rough Rock, AZ vs Cottonwood, AZ Rough Rock, AZ vs Round Rock, AZ Rough Rock, AZ vs Chinle, AZ

Frequently Asked Questions

Rough Rock's cost of living index is 81, where 100 is the national average. That makes Rough Rock roughly 19% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $43,300 and median rent is $540/month.
Rough Rock's violent crime rate is 84.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 210.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Rough Rock, AZ has a population of 423, a median household income of $40,347, and an unemployment rate of 2.8%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Rough Rock averages 43.8°F in January and 92.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 8.8 inches with about 4.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Rough Rock, Arizona is 423 with a median age of 43.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Rough Rock: cost of living index 81 (100 = US average), median home $43,300, median household income $40,347, crime index 17 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Rough Rock side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.