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City

Rockford

#214 in Best Cities for Millennials in America
  • B-
    Overall Grade
  • City in Illinois
  • 304 reviews
B-
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    B-
  2. Crime & Safety
    C-
  3. Housing
    C+
  4. Nightlife
    B+
  5. Good for Families
    B-
  6. Diversity
    A+
  7. Jobs
    C+
  8. Weather
    C+
  9. Cost of Living
    B+
  10. Health & Fitness
    C+
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A-
  12. Commute
    B+
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About Rockford...
Population
149,597

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$91,400
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$719
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    46%
  • Own
    54%
Sponsored Mortgage Options for Rockford
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Rockford Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
C-
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    1,184
    283
  • Murder
    18
    6
  • Rape
    100
    41
  • Robbery
    364
    136
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    954
    500
  • Theft
    2,508
    2,043
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    314
    284
Home Security Options for Rockford
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  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
A+
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Median Household Income
$40,143
National
$55,322
Children
21%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    9%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    13%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    32%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    30%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    17%
    13%
  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Colleges

Jobs in Rockford

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Rockford Reviews

304 reviews
All Categories
I'm a 25 year old AA Female. I was born and raised in Rockford. Pros- Diversity! I loved growing up having friends of all races and economic statuses. I never had any racial issues in Rockford. There's a bunch of factories and call centers for employment if you're looking for entry level work. Housing is way cheaper than larger cities. Cons- There's nothing to do. East State Street is pretty much the beginning and end of entertainment, dining and shopping. Crime rate has sky rocketed within the last 5 years. Rockford used to be safe. Growing up, I used to stay outside all day long playing with friends til 9 or 10pm. Now kids cant even be outiside for fear that they may get hit by a stray bullet. Rockford is pretty much like a mini Chicago as far as crime goes, but it's missing the good qualities that Chicago has to offer.
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I've enjoyed growing up in Rockford. I was born and raised here. The park district offers many opportunities for citizens of all ages! Including a large water park, neighborhood pools, parks/playgrounds, discovery center. The city was built on the Rock River, so many opportunities for recreation are available. I would change the safety. Rockford is notorious for being dangerous. I would make the city and streets safer.
Beautiful bike path along the Rock river, beautiful forest preserves, lots of different cultures, many free music events throughout the summer, family events throughout the year. I give it a 2 because of the high crime. People get robbed at gun point just walking down the street in any neighborhood, even during the day. Shootings almost daily. Not many decent paying jobs. Most jobs opportunities are fast food and retail. Apartment monthly rents are high and property taxes are too high everywhere. Lot of povwrty and crime. Definitely not safe and not a place to raise children.