Population 4,134 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Rockford
Household size in Downtown Rockford
| Period | Downtown Rockford | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.90 | 2.53 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.06 | 2.53 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.90 | 2.44 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.77 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.07 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Downtown Rockford are small: just 1.77 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 1.90, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Downtown Rockford
| Period | Downtown Rockford | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4 | 38.2 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 39.4 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.7 | 40.0 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.6 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 39.8, the median age in Downtown Rockford is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Downtown Rockford
| Period | Downtown Rockford | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5% | 15.5% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.4% | 17.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 16.6% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 15.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −13.4 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Downtown Rockford: 15.1% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Rockford as a whole looks much the same.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Downtown Rockford
Renters in Downtown Rockford
| Period | Downtown Rockford | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.1% | 36.0% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 88.1% | 40.5% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 87.2% | 41.8% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 84.8% | 40.1% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | +4.2 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown Rockford: 84.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About three-quarters of owners (74.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Downtown Rockford
| Period | Downtown Rockford | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.4% | 12.9% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.2% | 12.0% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.8% | 10.7% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.7% | 9.7% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −10.6 pts | −3.2 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.7% of the housing in Downtown Rockford, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Downtown Rockford
| Period | Downtown Rockford | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1947 | 1962 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1963 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1953 | 1963 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1949 | 1964 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +2 | +4 | +6 |
Downtown Rockford is a place of older homes: half were built before 1949, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Downtown Rockford
| Period | Downtown Rockford | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $432 | $729 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $529 | $808 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $486 | $883 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $798 | $1,068 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$366 | +$339 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Downtown Rockford runs $798 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 29.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Downtown Rockford
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Rockford
| Period | Downtown Rockford | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 20.7% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 20.9% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 21.4% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.8% | 23.3% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +2.6 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Downtown Rockford have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 17.8%, against 35.6% nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Downtown Rockford
| Period | Downtown Rockford | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.2% | 81.4% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.6% | 83.5% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 77.9% | 84.3% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 79.1% | 85.2% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.9 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in five adults in Downtown Rockford never finished high school, well above the national share: only 79.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Downtown Rockford
| Period | Downtown Rockford | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.6% | 11.8% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 19.4% | 14.7% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.0% | 10.4% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 8.8% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.7 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Downtown Rockford runs well above the national rate: 12.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Downtown Rockford compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Rockford | 1.77 | 39.8 | 15.1% | 84.8% | 15.7% | 1949 | $798 | 17.8% | 79.1% | 12.8% |
| Sycamore Manor | 2.31 | 34.7 | 12.5% | 39.1% | 8.4% | 1967 | $1,032 | 40.4% | 93.3% | 3.2% |
| Coventry | 3.10 | 35.6 | 14.6% | 30.8% | 4.9% | 1971 | $1,407 | 32.8% | 90.0% | 2.7% |
| Thornwood | 3.19 | 39.8 | 2.9% | 1.6% | 4.3% | 2003 | $3,074 | 58.5% | 93.9% | 4.0% |
| Maple Manor | 2.75 | 37.7 | 19.6% | 24.8% | 7.1% | 1953 | $1,335 | 20.2% | 83.7% | 7.3% |
| Elgin Historic District | 3.35 | 29.6 | 27.9% | 49.8% | 4.1% | 1945 | $1,329 | 22.4% | 68.9% | 6.4% |
| Randall Hills | 2.47 | 44.1 | 6.3% | 28.6% | 4.1% | 1988 | $1,723 | 34.3% | 94.2% | 7.2% |
| Camp Lake | 2.47 | 45.6 | 3.9% | 26.7% | 9.7% | 1986 | $1,219 | 23.0% | 91.7% | 6.6% |
| Valley View | 2.50 | 41.2 | 5.8% | 28.0% | 4.4% | 1969 | $1,195 | 47.3% | 94.9% | 8.1% |
| Orchard Meadows | 2.84 | 39.3 | 5.4% | 10.5% | 2.7% | 1983 | $1,806 | 49.5% | 93.7% | 1.9% |
| Winston Park | 2.57 | 46.2 | 11.3% | 7.7% | 4.3% | 1965 | $2,442 | 50.5% | 98.8% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Embudo Canyon, Albuquerque, NM · McIntosh, Newport News, VA · Castleton, Indianapolis, IN · Golden Gate, Stuart, FL · Murphy Creek, Aurora, CO · McClymonds, Oakland, CA · Lake Road, Milwaukie, OR · Granville Historic District, Granville, OH · Garden District, Sandusky, OH · Gano, Chicago, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Downtown Rockford. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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