Skip to Main Content
vxla / CC BY
City

Rockford

#214 in Best Cities for Millennials in America
  • B-
    Overall Grade
  • City in Illinois
  • 313 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+
View Full Report Card
Rockford is a city in Illinois with a population of 148,640. Rockford is in Winnebago County. Living in Rockford offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Rockford there are a lot of parks. Many families and young professionals live in Rockford and residents tend to have moderate political views. The public schools in Rockford are above average.
About Rockford...
Population
148,640

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$89,500
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$731
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    45%
  • Own
    55%
Sponsored Mortgage Options for Rockford
Get Rates
  • $0 Lender Fee on Home Loans Limited Time Only
  • Biggest Home Loan Sale Ever. Low interest rates. Get a quote today!
Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.

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
    1,208
    283
  • Murder
    12
    6
  • Rape
    77
    41
  • Robbery
    291
    136
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    942
    500
  • Theft
    2,319
    2,043
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    307
    284
Home Security Options for Rockford
Learn More
  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
A+
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Age
  • <10 years
    14%
  • 10-17 years
    11%
  • 18-24 years
    9%
  • 25-34 years
    14%
  • 35-44 years
    12%
  • 45-54 years
    12%
  • 55-64 years
    12%
  • 65+ years
    16%
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

Working in Rockford

Jobs
C+
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$41,991
National
$55,322
Search for Jobs in Rockford
Places like Rockford
  • B+
    Elgin
    • City in Illinois
    • 278 reviews
  • B+
    Davenport
    • City in Iowa
    • 212 reviews
  • B+
    Peoria
    • City in Illinois
    • 181 reviews
  • A+
    Madison
    • City in Wisconsin
    • 576 reviews
More

Rockford Reviews

313 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.
Start Your Review of Rockford
Rate It!
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.