Ordered by what stands out in Rolla. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About one in three working residents works right in Rolla
About one in 3 of Rolla’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Columbia (4%), St. James (4%) and Jefferson City (3%). Half commute less than 9 miles.
Rolla’s public schools outperform 62% of Missouri districts
The public schools Rolla’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 62% of Missouri’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
Rolla has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
Rolla ( ROL-ə) is a city in and the county seat of Phelps County, Missouri, United States. Its population in the 2020 United States Census was 19,943. It is approximately midway between St. Louis and Springfield along I-44. Its micropolitan statistical area consists of Phelps County, Missouri. Nearby is an inactive township (Rolla Township). It is the home of the Missouri University of Science and Technology, well known for its many engineering departments and computer science department. The headquarters of the Mark Twain National Forest is in Rolla. The city is also within the Ozark Highlands American Viticultural Area, with vineyards first established by Italian immigrants to the area.
