City · Michigan
Rockford, Michigan
Rockford, city, in Kent County, Michigan. Rockford had 6,313 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 6,142 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 6,218 (±16). GEOID 2669080.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
6,313
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 6,142 · ACS 2020-2024: 6,218 ±16
Median household income
$107,121
±$15,091 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$334,400
±$45,993 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$1,111
±$226 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Rockford and what county is it in?
Rockford is a city in Kent County, Michigan. It covers 3.2 square miles of land, 1,905 residents per square mile in 2020.
Rockford is in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 5 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Rockford, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 6,313 people lived in Rockford on July 1, 2025, up 2.2% since 2020, faster than Michigan (+0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 6,142 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 6,218 (±16).
| Measure | Rockford | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,218 ±16 | 663,150 | −36 |
| Households | 2,542 ±180 | 256,648 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.43 ±0.17 | 2.54 | −0.24 |
| Housing units | 2,629 ±191 | 269,136 | +261 |
Rockford's population since 2000
From 4,626 in 2000 to 6,313 in 2025: up 36.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Rockford as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Rockford?
The median resident of Rockford is 38.5 years old; 27.3% are under 18 and 15.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.1%. 2.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Rockford | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 ±4.6 | 35.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 27.3% ±4.1 pts | 23.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.2% ±3.8 pts | 14.9% | – |
| Male | 49.2% ±3.2 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.0% ±1.7 pts | 11.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.2% ±3.5 pts | 70.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.1 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±2.9 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.9% ±1.8 pts | 8.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.4% ±2.0 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.1% ±4.3 pts | 4.9% | – |
| With a disability | 6.8% ±2.2 pts | 11.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.7% ±2.8 pts | 4.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.3% ±2.4 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 54.2% ±7.7 pts | 40.8% | +11.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 17.2% ±4.4 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.9% ±4.3 pts | 87.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.5% ±2.3 pts | 1.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Rockford earn?
Half of Rockford's 2,542 households earn less than $107,121 a year (±$15,091), against $82,631 in Kent County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 the median was $79,897 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $27,224 after inflation. 5.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Rockford | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $107,121 ±$15,091 | $82,631 | +$27,224 |
| Mean household income | $126,032 ±$21,345 | $109,612 | – |
| Per capita income | $51,817 ±$8,337 | $42,992 | +$11,749 |
| People below the poverty line | 5.0% ±2.9 pts | 10.1% | −6.9 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.4% ±6.7 pts | 13.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.1% ±4.1 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.6% ±2.6 pts | 95.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.5% ±3.4 pts | 92.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Rockford?
Owners occupy 77.2% of Rockford's occupied homes and renters 22.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $334,400 by its owner (±$45,993). The median renter pays $1,111 a month including utilities, and 54.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Rockford | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $334,400 ±$45,993 | $289,900 | +$103,522 |
| Median gross rent | $1,111 ±$226 | $1,243 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 54.7% ±18.0 pts | 39.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,794 ±$221 | $1,603 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 77.2% ±6.9 pts | 70.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 22.8% ±6.9 pts | 29.7% | – |
| Housing units | 2,629 ±191 | 269,136 | +261 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.8% ±2.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.7% ±8.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 71.4% ±6.5 pts | 64.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.9% ±1.4 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.4% ±4.7 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 7.2% ±3.1 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.4% ±3.4 pts | 6.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Rockford building?
Builders took permits for 38 new housing units in Rockford in 2025 (38 in single-family houses), 6.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.3 across Michigan.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Rockford work and get to work?
71.5% of Rockford's workers drive alone and 23.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.1 minutes.
| Measure | Rockford | Kent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 73.4% ±5.5 pts | 68.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% ±6.4 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 71.5% ±9.9 pts | 73.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.0% ±2.4 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Walked | 1.0% ±1.1 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 23.1% ±9.8 pts | 14.3% | +18.7 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.1 min ±3.4 | 21.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Rockford?
1 census tract lies mostly in Rockford, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 107Kent County | 4,843 | $97,782 |
| Tract 106.02Kent County | 9,209 | $121,912 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Rockford) · Census block assignment files
How does Rockford compare with other places in Michigan?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Rockford is the 4,307th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 129th-most populous of 533 in Michigan.
Rockford ranks 112th of 1,354 places in Michigan with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 129th | 533 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 354th | 1,281 |
| Residents per square mile | 152nd | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 112th | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 156th | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 165th | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 371st | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 1,059th | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69th | 1,350 |
| Median age | 1,057th | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 962nd | 1,356 |
| Work from home | 62nd | 1,062 |
| Travel time to work | 679th | 1,356 |
Rockford's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Rockford with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Rockford?
17 of the 57 figures for Rockford on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Rockford are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Rockford.