East State Street in downtown Rockford · Alexbaumgarner / CC BY-SA 3.0Rockford Il Coronado8 · IvoShandor / CC BY 2.5Downtown Rockford 3 · Jarhead62 / CC BY-SA 3.0Anderson Japanese Gardens - Landscape · BrieCollette / CC BY-SA 4.0
Rockford is a mid-sized city of 148,173 in Illinois, with a median household income of $50,744
and a 9.0% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Rockford stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Rockford is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Rockford 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: 90.1
Rockford's overall cost of living index is 90.1,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Rockford costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Rockford, IL
National Avg
Median Home Value
$114,100
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$906
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
54.1%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$50,744
$74,755
Crime & Safety
High Crime
Rockford's violent crime rate is 1080.0 per 100,000 residents
— 184% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
1080.0 /100k
Property Crime
2517.2 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Rockford is served primarily by Rockford SD 205.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.4:1
(slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Rockford, IL
National Avg
School District
Rockford SD 205
—
Elementary Schools
28
—
Middle Schools
7
—
High Schools
7
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.4:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
23.1%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
85.4%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Rockford sees average highs of 29.1°F in January
and 83.9°F in July,
with 38.0 inches of annual precipitation
and 37.1 inches of snow per year.
Rockford's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Rockford roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $114,100 and median rent is $906/month.
Rockford's violent crime rate is 1080.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2517.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Rockford are operated by Rockford SD 205.
The district has 28 elementary, 7 middle, and 7 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.4:1. 23.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Rockford, IL has a population of 148,173, a median household income of $50,744, and an unemployment rate of 9.0%.
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.
Rockford averages 29.1°F in January and 83.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.0 inches
with about 37.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Rockford, IL is covered by 8 ZIP codes: 61109, 61107, 61108, 61101, 61102, 61114, 61103, 61104.
The population of Rockford, Illinois is 148,173 with a median age of 37.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Rockford: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $114,100, median household income $50,744, crime index 218 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Rockford side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
