Rockford, Tennessee

Rockford is a city in Blount County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 798 at the 2000 census and 856 at the 2010 census.[7] It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Rockford, Tennessee
City
Location of Rockford in Blount County, Tennessee.
Coordinates: 35°50′21″N 83°56′32″W
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
County	Blount
Incorporated	1970[1]
Named for	A ford over the Little River[2]
Government
• Type	City Council
• Mayor	Carl Koella III
• Vice Mayor	Sandra Hitson
Area [3]
• Total	3.20 sq mi (8.29 km^2)
• Land	3.18 sq mi (8.24 km^2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km^2)
Elevation	827 ft (252 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	856
• Estimate  (2019)[4]	852
• Density	267.67/sq mi (103.34/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	37853
Area code(s)	865
FIPS code	47-64160[5]
GNIS feature ID	1299809[6]

History

Rockford in 1942

Rockford is named for a river ford used by early 19th-century settlers and merchants travelling between Knoxville and Maryville.[2] As its name implies, the ford was unusually rocky, and thus preferred by travellers, as large amounts of silt and sand made much of the Little River difficult to cross. The community was called "Rocky Ford" by the early 1800s.[2]

Rockford incorporated as a city in the early 1970s to avoid being annexed by Alcoa or Maryville, both of which were growing rapidly.[2]

Geography

Rockford is located in northern Blount County at 35°50′21″N 83°56′32″W (35.839243, -83.942221).[8] The Little River, which rises in the Great Smoky Mountains and empties into the Tennessee River, passes through the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²), of which 0.023 square miles (0.06 km²), or 0.69%, is water.[7]

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Rockford has a Humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[9]

Climate data for Rockford, Tennessee
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	8 (47)	11 (51)	16 (60)	22 (71)	26 (79)	29 (85)	31 (88)	31 (88)	28 (82)	22 (72)	16 (60)	10 (50)	21 (69)
Average low °C (°F)	−1 (30)	0 (32)	4 (40)	9 (49)	14 (57)	18 (64)	20 (68)	19 (67)	17 (62)	9 (49)	4 (40)	0 (32)	9 (49)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	120 (4.7)	110 (4.2)	130 (5)	97 (3.8)	100 (4)	100 (4)	110 (4.5)	86 (3.4)	79 (3.1)	71 (2.8)	97 (3.8)	110 (4.3)	1,200 (47.4)
Source: Weatherbase

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	144		—
1980	567		—
1990	646		13.9%
2000	798		23.5%
2010	856		7.3%
Est. 2019	852	[4]	−0.5%
Sources:[10][11]

As of the census[5] 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.

Education

Rockford has one public school, Rockford Elementary School, a K-5 elementary school that is part of the Blount County Schools system. The school is located at 2738 Williams Mill Road.

References

1. Tennessee Blue Book, 2005-2006, pp. 618-625.
2. Jim Matheny, "Why Do They Call It That? - Rockford in Blount County," WBIR.com, 24 October 2011. Retrieved: 15 November 2011.
3. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
6. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
7. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Rockford city, Tennessee". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
8. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
9. Climate Summary for Rockford, Tennessee
10. "Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
11. "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.

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.