Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Birmingham, AL
VS
Rockford, IL
🏆 Rockford leads 14 of 23 categories
Birmingham
Alabama
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6
Median Household Income
$42,464
Violent Crime Index
328⚠ High
Population
200,431 ✓ Larger
Rockford
Illinois
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,744 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
284⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
148,173
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Birmingham, AL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (7.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 29°F
More college-educated — 29.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
Cons
Violent crime (1246.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Rockford by $8,280/yr
Property crime (4031.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Rockford
Rockford, IL
Pros
13% less violent crime than Birmingham
Households earn $8,280 more per year on average
Rent averages $89/mo less ($906 vs $995)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.1)
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1080.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2517.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.0% vs 7.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Birmingham
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
7.5% vs 9.0% unemployment
Birmingham
Summer Heat
7.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.0°F vs 83.9°F
Rockford
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 90.1 vs 92.6 (100 = US avg)
Rockford
Median Income
$8,280
$50,744 vs $42,464/yr
Rockford
Violent Crime
13% lower
1080.0 vs 1246.6 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Birmingham, AL | Rockford, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 | 90.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $123,000 | $114,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $995 | $906 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $42,464 | $50,744 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% ✓ Higher | 7.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 218⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 328⚠ High | 284⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 120⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 17.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.4% ✓ Higher | 23.1% |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% ✓ Higher | 85.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Birmingham City | Rockford SD 205 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.5°F ✓ Warmer | 29.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer | 83.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.1" | 38.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4" ✓ Less | 37.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,431 ✓ Larger | 148,173 |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 54.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% | 17.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Birmingham's cost of living index is 92.6 vs Rockford's 90.1 (US average = 100).
Rockford is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Rockford leads 14 of 23 categories. Birmingham wins 9 and Rockford wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Birmingham to Rockford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($123,000 vs $114,100 median home), income ($42,464 vs $50,744), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Birmingham, AL and Rockford, IL are about 616 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.