Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Houston, TX
VS
Rockford, IL
🏆 Rockford leads 13 of 23 categories
Houston
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$60,440 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
Rockford
Illinois
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,744
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.
Houston, TX
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (6.6%)
Households earn $9,696 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 29°F
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Rockford
Rockford, IL
Pros
Homes cost $121k less ($114,100 vs $235,000)
Rent averages $329/mo less ($906 vs $1,235)
6% less violent crime than Houston
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Houston
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.1)
Cons
Violent crime (1080.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Houston by $9,696/yr
Property crime (2517.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.0% vs 6.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Houston
Median Income
$9,696
$60,440 vs $50,744/yr
Houston
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
6.6% vs 9.0% unemployment
Houston
Summer Heat
9.3°F warmer
July avg high 93.2°F vs 83.9°F
Rockford
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 90.1 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Rockford
Violent Crime
6% lower
1080.0 vs 1148.2 per 100k
Rockford
Median Home Value
$121k less
$114,100 vs $235,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Houston, TX | Rockford, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High | 90.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $235,000 | $114,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 | $906 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,440 ✓ Higher | $50,744 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.4 min | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 7.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 263⚠ High | 218⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 302⚠ High | 284⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 204⚠ High | 120⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 23.1% |
| High School or Higher | 79.6% | 85.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HOUSTON ISD | Rockford SD 205 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.8°F ✓ Warmer | 29.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.2°F ✓ Warmer | 83.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.4" | 38.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 37.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger | 148,173 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.0% | 54.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 17.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Houston's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Rockford's 90.1 (US average = 100).
Rockford is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Rockford leads 13 of 23 categories. Houston wins 10 and Rockford wins 13. 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 Houston to Rockford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($235,000 vs $114,100 median home), income ($60,440 vs $50,744), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Houston, TX and Rockford, IL are about 931 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.