United States › Illinois › Rock Falls CITY
Rock Falls Illinois · 8,521 residents (2025 est.) · 3.98 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Rock Falls is home to 8,587 people in Illinois. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 13% of adults. The typical home is worth $83,900. Households here earn about 41% less than in Illinois as a whole. 25.6% of people here live below the federal poverty line. The average commute runs 16 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 9,580 in 2000
8,521 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,156 / sq mi
−7%since 2009
from 2,325 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 9K 9K 9K 10K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Rock Falls Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $49,600
−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,442 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,524 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.414 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6.3%
Transportation & warehousing 3.3%
Public administration 1.2%
Education & health services 1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.2%
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$83,900
−27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$754
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $454 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 64.1% in 2000
32.6% rent
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.39 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 25.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 46.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 86.2%(8,258)
Hispanic / Latino 11.5%(1,106)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 74.4%(6,391)
Hispanic / Latino 21.7%(1,863)
from 34 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 7 more ancestry groups with data from 5.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 72.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 84.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 78.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 91.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 7.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 41.5%(1,373)
Women 15+
Never married 31.7%(1,114)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 28.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 59.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 47.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 20%(144)
Gulf War (1990s) 27.4%(197)
Share of the 720 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Rock Falls Head to head
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ROCK FALLS VS
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ROCK FALLS VS
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ROCK FALLS VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Rock Falls, Illinois? Rock Falls, Illinois has about 8,587 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Rock Falls, Illinois? The typical household in Rock Falls, Illinois earns about $49,600 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Rock Falls, Illinois expensive? In Rock Falls, Illinois, the median home is worth about $83,900, and the typical rent is about $754 a month.
How educated are people in Rock Falls, Illinois? About 13.4% of adults age 25 and over in Rock Falls, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Rock Falls, Illinois? About 25.6% of people in Rock Falls, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Rock Falls, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Rock Falls, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,067 residents, a change of about -11 percent over that period.
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