The Town FilesRock Falls, Illinois
City in Whiteside County · population 8,789 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $83,900
- Household income
- $49,600
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 37.7
Rock Falls is a city of 8,789 people in Whiteside County, Illinois. The median home is worth $83,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more walkable than 87% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 80% of Illinois towns, hipper than 79% of Illinois towns.
How Rock Falls ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rock Falls is worth $83,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $49,600, which is more affordable than 79% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $754 a month. 67.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rock Falls | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $83,900 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $754 | $960 |
| Median household income | $49,600 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 67.4% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rock Falls
| People | Rock Falls | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.4% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 11.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 15.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.5% | 90.4% |
Weather in Rock Falls
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 13.6°F. About 40.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 138 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rock Falls since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 29, 1981 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 18, 1975.
Severe weather in Whiteside County since 1996
Whiteside County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| September 19, 2019 | Flood | DR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Whiteside County
Whiteside County had 21,197 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,164 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Rock Falls itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Rock Falls
11 public schools with 1,855 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Falls Township High School | 9-12 | 547 | 14.8 |
| Dillon Elementary School | K-2 | 259 | 12.3 |
| Rock Falls Middle School | 6-8 | 247 | 11.2 |
| Merrill Elem School | 3-5 | 239 | 12.0 |
| Montmorency CCSD #145 | K-8 | 213 | 10.1 |
| East Coloma - Nelson Elem Sch | PK-8 | 213 | 11.2 |
| Riverdale PreSchool Center | PK-PK | 137 | 27.4 |
| Regional Center for Change | 6-12 | — | — |
| Bi-County-Jr HS LIfe Skills-Rock | Other | — | — |
| Regional Center For Change ALOP | 6-12 | — | — |
| Thome Ed School | K-12 | — | — |
Towns near Rock Falls
- Sterling, IL1.9 mi · 14,764 people · home $108,700
- Dixon, IL12.2 mi · 15,274 people · home $120,800
- Morrison, IL14.0 mi · 4,085 people · home $118,000
- Mount Morris, IL23.5 mi · 2,861 people · home $121,800
- Fulton, IL24.8 mi · 3,647 people · home $121,700
- Oregon, IL24.8 mi · 3,604 people · home $142,600
- Clinton, IA28.7 mi · 24,469 people · home $118,200
- Princeton, IL29.6 mi · 7,832 people · home $134,700
Rock Falls questions
Is Rock Falls, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rock Falls scores better for retirees than 10% of Illinois towns and quieter than 27%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).
How much does a house cost in Rock Falls?
The median owner-occupied home in Rock Falls is valued at $83,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,600, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $754 a month.
What is the weather like in Rock Falls?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 13.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.5 inches of precipitation a year and 28.8 inches of snow.
Does Rock Falls get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rock Falls since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 29, 1981. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)