Population 174,540 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Rockford
Household size in Rockford
| Period | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.53 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.53 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
The average household in Rockford has 2.46 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.53, mirroring the country. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the north.
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 Rockford
| Period | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.2 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.4 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.0 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.1 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 40.1, the median age in Rockford is the same as the national median, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 38.2 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the northeast.
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 Rockford
| Period | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.6% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in six households in Rockford (15.6%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Rockford has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Illinois cities.
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 Rockford
Renters in Rockford
| Period | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.5% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.8% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.1% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Rockford than nationally: 40.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among owners, 46.0% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 34 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
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 Rockford
| Period | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Rockford as nationally: 9.7%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Illinois overall (8.1%). Vacancy has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Rockford
| Period | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Rockford is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1964, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Rockford
| Period | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $729 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $808 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $883 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,068 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$339 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Rockford costs $1,068 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $339 a month from 2006–10, a 46% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the northeast.
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 Rockford
Bachelor's degrees in Rockford
| Period | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.7% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.9% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.3% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Rockford have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 23.3%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 2.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the south.
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 Rockford
| Period | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.4% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.5% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.3% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.2% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Rockford never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Rockford has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Illinois cities.
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 Rockford
| Period | Rockford | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.7% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Rockford runs well above the national rate: 8.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 29 have higher unemployment. Unemployment is down 3.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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).
Rockford compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford | 2.46 | 40.1 | 15.6% | 40.1% | 9.7% | 1964 | $1,068 | 23.3% | 85.2% | 8.8% |
| Loves Park | 2.36 | 39.0 | 13.2% | 39.9% | 4.6% | 1981 | $1,175 | 25.5% | 92.9% | 6.0% |
| Cherry Valley | 2.47 | 45.9 | 10.4% | 9.8% | 5.4% | 1987 | $900 | 31.1% | 93.8% | 5.2% |
| New Milford | 2.45 | 44.1 | 6.1% | 7.9% | 9.0% | 1978 | $1,032 | 15.4% | 90.6% | 7.9% |
| Machesney Park | 2.62 | 40.1 | 11.4% | 20.3% | 7.4% | 1980 | $1,163 | 19.6% | 90.1% | 6.9% |
| Morristown | 2.38 | 45.5 | 7.0% | 8.2% | 13.8% | 1976 | $894 | 21.1% | 92.5% | 11.1% |
| Caledonia | 2.83 | 41.5 | 5.5% | 10.9% | 2.3% | 1997 | $1,349 | 42.6% | 94.8% | 7.1% |
| Winnebago | 2.60 | 44.5 | 11.6% | 11.4% | 3.8% | 1982 | $1,073 | 29.0% | 94.0% | 4.7% |
| Irene | 2.52 | 43.6 | 18.3% | 15.3% | 5.0% | 1969 | $1,335 | 30.5% | 96.6% | 5.6% |
| Belvidere | 2.66 | 42.4 | 13.2% | 24.1% | 4.9% | 1979 | $1,110 | 18.7% | 82.8% | 6.7% |
| Roscoe | 2.77 | 39.7 | 13.0% | 17.8% | 4.1% | 1994 | $1,395 | 37.4% | 96.1% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Kalamazoo, MI · Jackson, TN · Irvine, CA · Kennesaw, GA · Johnson City, TN · Kendall, FL · Jersey City, NJ · Independence, MO · Jacksonville, NC · Kennewick, WA
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 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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