The Town FilesRockford, Illinois
City in Winnebago County · population 148,655 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $129,000
- Household income
- $54,752
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 37.7
Rockford is a city of 148,655 people in Winnebago County, Illinois. The median home is worth $129,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more walkable than 89% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 85% of Illinois towns, hipper than 85% of Illinois towns.
How Rockford 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 Rockford is worth $129,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $54,752, which is more affordable than 42% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $985 a month. 54.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rockford | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $129,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $985 | $960 |
| Median household income | $54,752 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 54.9% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Rockford
| People | Rockford | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.8% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in Rockford
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 14.5°F. About 37.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.1 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockford since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 7.8 miles from the town center and killed 24. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 25 deaths and 456 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 3, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 110 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 7, 2020.
Severe weather in Winnebago County since 1996
Winnebago County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| 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 Winnebago County
Winnebago County had 126,415 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,400 a year. Unemployment was 6.2% in 2023; in Rockford itself the ACS puts it at 8.5%.
Public schools in Rockford
45 public schools with 27,661 students, about 17.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson High School | 9-12 | 2,170 | 19.4 |
| Guilford High School | 9-12 | 2,161 | 19.8 |
| Auburn High School | 9-12 | 1,985 | 19.3 |
| Rockford East High School | 9-12 | 1,708 | 17.1 |
| Rockford Envrnmntl Science Acad | 6-8 | 1,032 | 16.4 |
| Eisenhower Middle School | 6-8 | 985 | 19.3 |
| Bernard W Flinn Middle School | 6-8 | 800 | 15.4 |
| West Middle School | 6-8 | 794 | 16.2 |
| Abraham Lincoln Middle School | 6-8 | 705 | 17.6 |
| Whitehead Elem School | K-5 | 637 | 17.2 |
| Montessori Elementary School | PK-8 | 636 | 16.7 |
| Cherry Valley Elementary School | K-5 | 634 | 17.1 |
Towns near Rockford
- Cherry Valley, IL4.8 mi · 2,905 people · home $232,800
- Loves Park, IL6.4 mi · 23,397 people · home $160,400
- Machesney Park, IL7.7 mi · 22,950 people · home $173,700
- Winnebago, IL8.7 mi · 2,940 people · home $194,000
- Belvidere, IL9.0 mi · 25,339 people · home $158,900
- Davis Junction, IL10.1 mi · 2,512 people · home $205,500
- Candlewick Lake, IL11.7 mi · 5,115 people · home $172,300
- Roscoe, IL11.8 mi · 10,983 people · home $227,800
Rockford questions
Is Rockford, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rockford scores better for retirees than 10% of Illinois towns and quieter than 10%. 17.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).
How much does a house cost in Rockford?
The median owner-occupied home in Rockford is valued at $129,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,752, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $985 a month.
What is the weather like in Rockford?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 14.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.2 inches of precipitation a year and 37.1 inches of snow.
Does Rockford get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 1967. 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)