1st Advantage MortgageAbout 83% of Rockwall County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $127,981. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Rockwall County at a glance
- Rent, home values and ownership in Rockwall County
- Income in Rockwall County compared with Texas
- The Rockwall County job picture
- The counties around Rockwall County
- Rockwall County towns compared
- Rockwall County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Before borrowing in Rockwall County
- What a median Rockwall County budget can carry
- Who licenses lenders for Rockwall County residents
- Four steps for Rockwall County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Rockwall County at a glance
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Rockwall County's population at 123,617; only 37 of Texas's 254 county-level areas are larger. Land area is 127 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 972 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Garland is the biggest of its 9 Census places, at roughly 246,844 people (200% of the county total).
Rent, home values and ownership in Rockwall County
A typical Rockwall County rental runs $1,992 a month including utilities, which is 42% above Texas. By the Census definition, 52% of Rockwall County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $415,500, about 3.2 times the median household income. 83% of Rockwall County households own their home and 17% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 2006.
| Cost | Rockwall County | Texas figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,992/mo | $1,403/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $415,500 | $283,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 83% | 63% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 52% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 29% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.2% | 6.4% | n/a |
Because most Rockwall County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral. When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Income in Rockwall County compared with Texas
Rockwall County households have a median income of $127,981 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 1st of 254 in Texas.
| Band | Rockwall County | Compared with Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 8.3% | -13.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 28.4% | -11.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 39.8% | +13.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 23.6% | +11.1 pts |
About 8% of households earn under $35,000, while 63% clear $100,000. Census counts 4.0% of Rockwall County residents in poverty, against 13.8% across Texas. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.421 here. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
The Rockwall County job picture
The biggest employer of Rockwall County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 23% of workers, followed by professional and administrative services (15%). Compared with Texas, the county leans toward professional and administrative services (15% against 13%). The survey's unemployment rate for Rockwall County averages 4.3% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 5.3%). Long commutes are common here: 35% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Rockwall County | Gap to Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.1% | +1.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 15.1% | +2.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.0% | -1.0 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.2% | +0.6 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 8.9% | +1.9 pts |
| Construction | 8.2% | -0.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
The counties around Rockwall County
Distances run center to center, from Kaufman County at 22 miles out to Van Zandt County at 41. Collin County leads the group on income ($121,600), Rains County trails ($65,413), and Rockwall County out-earns 6 of the six.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockwall County | - | $127,981 | $1,992/mo | 83% |
| Kaufman County, TX | 22 mi | $89,485 | $1,554/mo | 78% |
| Collin County, TX | 23 mi | $121,600 | $1,859/mo | 65% |
| Dallas County, TX | 23 mi | $76,547 | $1,565/mo | 51% |
| Hunt County, TX | 24 mi | $71,938 | $1,222/mo | 71% |
| Rains County, TX | 36 mi | $65,413 | $989/mo | 83% |
| Van Zandt County, TX | 41 mi | $69,475 | $1,066/mo | 81% |
Rockwall County towns compared
9 Census places fall mainly inside Rockwall County; the 9 biggest are below. They account for 482,314 residents, leaving about 0% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Heath has the highest median household income on the list ($220,828) and Garland the lowest ($76,320), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $1,641 in Garland to $3,501 in Heath. None of the 9 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garland | city | 246,844 | $76,320 | $1,641 | 13 mi |
| Rowlett | city | 65,463 | $112,081 | $1,990 | 8 mi |
| Wylie | city | 60,334 | $119,522 | $2,189 | 11 mi |
| Rockwall | city | 51,168 | $115,580 | $1,947 | 2 mi |
| Fate | city | 22,884 | $132,752 | $2,500 | 4 mi |
| Royse City | city | 20,037 | $116,660 | $2,078 | 8 mi |
| Heath | city | 10,777 | $220,828 | $3,501 | 4 mi |
| McLendon-Chisholm | city | 4,511 | $204,773 | n/a | 4 mi |
| Mobile City | city | 296 | n/a | $1,175 | 2 mi |
Rockwall County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 44% of adults over 25. 8.7% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Rockwall County | Texas | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 | 35.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 44.5% | 33.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.6% | 14.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.7% | 17.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 18.6% | 14.4% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 4.0% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.3% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Rockwall County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 20.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 22.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 23.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 18.1% |
| 60+ min | 16.4% |
Before borrowing in Rockwall County
What the Rockwall County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Keeping the car running. At 35% with long commutes, repairs are a frequent Rockwall County emergency; first decide if the car is worth fixing.
- Higher earners. 63% of households clear $100,000; shop at least three lenders and pick the shortest term.
- 52% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
What a median Rockwall County budget can carry
Rockwall County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $10,665 a month: gross income for a household at the Rockwall County median
- Rent at the median, $1,992, takes 19% of that
- Under a 35% cap, $3,733 total minus rent leaves $1,741
- With a 45% ceiling, about $2,807 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Two-income households and single earners in Rockwall County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Who licenses lenders for Rockwall County residents
The Texas Department of Banking is the place to verify any lender's Texas license. Texas also has the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner for consumer credit. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. See the Texas state guide for the statewide picture.
Four steps for Rockwall County borrowers
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Rockwall County-area credit union.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask a Rockwall County credit union about member loans.
Related local guides
The Texas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Rockwall County earn?
The median is $127,981; 63% earn $100,000 or more and 8% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Rockwall County?
$1,992 a month at the median, about 19% of median household income.
Which towns does the Rockwall County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 9 Census places: Garland, Rowlett, Wylie, Rockwall, Fate.
Does living in Rockwall County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Rockwall County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Where can someone in Rockwall County check a lender's license?
With the Texas Department of Banking. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.