Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Rockford, IL
🏆 Irvine leads 14 of 23 categories
Irvine
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Rockford
Illinois
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,744
Violent Crime Index
284⚠ High
Population
148,173
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $72,204 more per year on average
92% less violent crime than Rockford
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.5 pts lower (5.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 29°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Rockford
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Rockford, IL
Pros
Homes cost $912k less ($114,100 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1843/mo less ($906 vs $2,749)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.1)
Smaller class sizes — 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $72,204/yr
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 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$72,204
$122,948 vs $50,744/yr
Irvine
Violent Crime
92% lower
84.0 vs 1080.0 per 100k
Irvine
Unemployment
3.5 pp lower
5.5% vs 9.0% unemployment
Rockford
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.1 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Rockford
Median Home Value
$912k less
$114,100 vs $1,025,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, CA | Rockford, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 90.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,025,700⚠ High | $114,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $906 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $50,744 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 7.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 ✓ Safer | 218⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 284⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 120⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 17.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 23.1% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 85.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | Rockford SD 205 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F ✓ Warmer | 29.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F ✓ Warmer | 83.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 38.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 37.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 148,173 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 54.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 17.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Rockford's 90.1 (US average = 100).
Rockford is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Irvine leads 14 of 23 categories. Irvine wins 14 and Rockford wins 9. 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 Irvine to Rockford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $114,100 median home), income ($122,948 vs $50,744), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Rockford, IL are about 1,663 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.