Living in Rockford, IL
Mid-size city in Illinois
Rockford is a mid-size city in Illinois, home to about 148,000 people, with 548,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Rockford a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $192k and rents for $1,560 a month
- Mild summers: highs around 82°F
- Low natural disaster risk: 6 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Easy flying: ORD is 63 mi away
👎 Cons
- Higher taxes: about $2,002 state income tax per resident, 2.66% property tax
- Fewer graduates: 23% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Rockford ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Rockford: common questions
What is the cost of living in Rockford?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $192k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,560 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 92, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Rockford?
Illinois collects about $2,002 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.66% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Rockford safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (3.1× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Rockford?
Rockford has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 32°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 37″ of snow a year.
Does Rockford get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, cold waves and tornadoes: 6 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.97 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Rockford?
The nearest major airport is ORD, about 63 mi away.
How Rockford scores
Each bar compares Rockford with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Rockford right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.