City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Rockford, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Rockford - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

147,649
Residents
$53,328
Median income
$120,900
Median home
$1,175
Median rent (state)

Rockford - the verdict

Rockford ranks in the 25th percentile for household income and the 10th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

25th
percentile, household income
18th
percentile, home value
34th
percentile, median rent
10th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Rockford, IL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 147,649 residents in Rockford, a mid-sized U.S. city within Illinois. Rockford households earn a median of $53,328 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 16.7%. Home values in Rockford run a median of $120,900, and the median resident age is 37.5 years. 23.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 54.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 135 residential building permits were authorized in Rockford (Building Boom), up 53% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Rockford's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3597.2 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Illinois at 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,175 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Illinois run around $240, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 92.4 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

147,649 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$53,328 /yr

Poverty 16.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Rockford compare to other US cities?

Where Rockford sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 25% higher than other cities
Home value 18% pricier than other cities
Median rent 34% pricier than other cities
Safety 10% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Illinois and the picture shifts: Rockford ranks #436 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Rockford against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Rockford toward the top of Illinois's cities

Among the 1,335 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Rockford ranks #191 - the 85th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Rockford only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,015 of 1,311
23rd percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#500 of 1,336
61st percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#643 of 1,315
51st percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#191 of 1,335
85th percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#462 of 1,336
65th percentile in Illinois

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Illinois only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

25thIncome percentile
10thSafety percentile

25th percentile nationally for median household income · 10th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Rockford's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Rockford's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 36 Avg. percentile National median
Rockford's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Rockford's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$120,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 82% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Rockford $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Rockford, IL Rockford, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rockford, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Rockford, IL median $53,328/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Rockford, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Rockford, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
147,649
Median Income
$53,328
Median Home Value
$120,900
Median Age
37.5
Poverty Rate
16.7%
Labor force participation
54.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3597.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1080.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2517.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
44
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
146,000 residents147,000 residents148,000 residents149,000 residents150,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 148,789 residents 147,384 residents ▼ -0.9%
Rockford's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
135
housing units authorized
Single-Family
99
detached homes
Multifamily
36
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 88
2020 49
2021 30
2022 23
2023 49
2024 135

Permit volume increased 53% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.2%
Carpool
11.0%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
7.9%
Other
1.6%

Based on 61,582 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Rockford sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,175/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Naperville
149,424 people
Joliet
149,785 people
Aurora
179,867 people
Elgin
114,106 people
Springfield
113,714 people
Peoria
112,126 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rockford's 147,649 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Savannah, GA
147,546 people
Bridgeport, CT
148,012 people
Denton, TX
146,987 people
Pomona, CA
148,391 people
Mesquite, TX
148,848 people
Syracuse, NY
146,211 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rockford's $53,328 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Raceland, LA
$53,328 median income
Hoosick Falls, NY
$53,325 median income
Sodus, NY
$53,324 median income
Coal Grove, OH
$53,324 median income
Hoopa, CA
$53,333 median income
Great Bend, KS
$53,323 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rockford, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Rockford, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 55.5% 21.8% 7.2% 11.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 20.6% White 55.5% Black or African American 21.8% Asian 3.7% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 7.2% Two or more races 11.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Rockford compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Rockford (this city) 147,649 $53,328
Naperville 149,424 $150,937
Joliet 149,785 $88,026
Aurora 179,867 $90,109
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rockford, IL?

What is the population of Rockford, IL? +

Rockford, IL has a population of 147,649 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rockford, IL? +

Median annual household income in Rockford runs $53,328, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rockford? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rockford; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

Is Rockford, IL safe? +

Rockford has a total crime rate of 3597.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Rockford, IL? +

A typical home in Rockford is worth $120,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.