Rockford, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Rockford is a city in Blount County
, Tennessee
, United States
. Its population was 798 at the 2000 census
. It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
used by early 19th-century settlers and merchants travelling between Knoxville and Maryville
. As its name implies, the ford was unusually rocky, and thus preferred by travellers, as large amounts of silt and sand made much of Little River difficult to cross. The community was called "Rocky Ford" by the early 1800s.
Rockford incorporated as a city in the early 1970s to avoid being annexed by Alcoa
or Maryville, both of which were growing rapidly.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8 km²), of which, 3.1 square miles (8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.65%) is water. Little River
, which rises in the Great Smoky Mountains
and empties into the Tennessee River
, passes through the city.
of 2000, there were 798 people, 317 households, and 245 families residing in the city. The population density
was 259.2 people per square mile (100.0/km²). There were 362 housing units at an average density of 117.6 per square mile (45.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.74% White, 1.13% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.38% Asian, and 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.
There were 317 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.1% were married couples
living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,816, and the median income for a family was $50,074. Males had a median income of $34,583 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,938. About 6.9% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
that is part of the Blount County Schools
system. The school is located at 2738 Williams Mill Road.
Blount County, Tennessee
Blount County is a U.S. county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its population was 123,010 at the United States Census, 2010. The county seat is at Maryville, which is also the county's largest city....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its population was 798 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Rockford is named for a river fordFord (crossing)
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading or in a vehicle. A ford is mostly a natural phenomenon, in contrast to a low water crossing, which is an artificial bridge that allows crossing a river or stream when water is low.The names of many towns...
used by early 19th-century settlers and merchants travelling between Knoxville and Maryville
Maryville, Tennessee
Maryville is the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee, in the Southeastern United States. The city is located south of Knoxville. Maryville's population was 27,258 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Maryville has received a number of accolades for its...
. As its name implies, the ford was unusually rocky, and thus preferred by travellers, as large amounts of silt and sand made much of Little River difficult to cross. The community was called "Rocky Ford" by the early 1800s.
Rockford incorporated as a city in the early 1970s to avoid being annexed by Alcoa
Alcoa, Tennessee
Alcoa is a city in Blount County, Tennessee, United States, south of Knoxville. Its population was 7,744 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area....
or Maryville, both of which were growing rapidly.
Geography
Rockford is located at 35°50′21"N 83°56′32"W (35.839243, -83.942221).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8 km²), of which, 3.1 square miles (8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.65%) is water. Little River
Little River (Tennessee)
Little River is a scenic river in Tennessee which drains a area containing some of the most spectacular scenery in the southeastern United States. The first of the river are all located within the borders of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park...
, which rises in the Great Smoky Mountains
Great Smoky Mountains
The Great Smoky Mountains are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The range is sometimes called the Smoky Mountains or the...
and empties into the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
, passes through the city.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 798 people, 317 households, and 245 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 259.2 people per square mile (100.0/km²). There were 362 housing units at an average density of 117.6 per square mile (45.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.74% White, 1.13% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.38% Asian, and 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.
There were 317 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,816, and the median income for a family was $50,074. Males had a median income of $34,583 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $19,938. About 6.9% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Rockford has one public school, Rockford Elementary School, a K-5 elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
that is part of the Blount County Schools
Blount County Schools
Blount County Schools is a school district in Blount County, Tennessee, USA. The district has 18 schools with 750 teachers/administrators serving approximately 11,000 students in the communities of Maryville, Alcoa, Friendsville, Greenback, Louisville, Rockford, Seymour, Tallasee, Townsend, &...
system. The school is located at 2738 Williams Mill Road.
External links
- Rockford Masonic Lodge No. 469 F&AM is located at 3741 Old Knoxville Hwy.
- DeMolay International - Raymond Fowlkes Chapter & Knightingale Manor, Order of DeMolay, international youth civic organization for boys and young men.