METRO AREA
Rockford Metro
Rockford, IL · 2 counties · 337,242 residents (2025 est.) · 794 sq mi
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The short version
Rockford is home to 336,522 people. Few US metro areas rank higher on income. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $172,788. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median rent is $1,024 a month. The median household earns $68,800, about 16% below the national median.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $68,800, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Rockford
What changed most since 1990
- Median home value (2024 dollars)$145,797 → $172,788 (+19%)US over the same years: +67%
- Adults with a bachelor's degree16.2% → 25.0% (+8.8 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
- Poverty rate9.8% → 14.7% (+4.9 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
Among the 28 metro and micro areas based in Illinois
- 11th in household income$68,800
- 12th in share with a bachelor's degree25.0%
- 8th in home value$172,788
- 2nd in diversity score67.3
Section 01
Population & growth
336,522
+5%since 2000
from 320,204 in 2000
337,242 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
794 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024337K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.9%(19,947)
5 to 96.4%(21,678)
10 to 146.9%(23,076)
15 to 196.7%(22,453)
20 to 246.1%(20,461)
25 to 3412.4%(41,779)
35 to 4412%(40,447)
45 to 5412.2%(40,957)
55 to 6413.2%(44,290)
65 to 7410.7%(35,971)
75 to 845.2%(17,565)
85 and over2.3%(7,898)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$68,800
−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $44,997 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
45.6%
+16.8 ptssince 2009
from 28.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade19.3%
Information11.9%
Finance & insurance7.1%
Professional, scientific, technical6.4%
Wholesale trade6.1%
Other services4.4%
Public administration3.2%
Transportation & warehousing2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
Construction0.7%
Education & health services0.7%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$172,788
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $94,815 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
2.5
−6%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
11
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic80.1%(256,353)
Black9.2%(29,390)
Hispanic / Latino7.6%(24,425)
Asian1.5%(4,922)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic64.4%(216,794)
Black10.1%(34,012)
Hispanic / Latino17.1%(57,665)
Asian2.6%(8,689)
Other5.8%(19,362)
67
+33%since 2009
from 51 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
35
−13%since 2020
from 40 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican14%(46,946)
Puerto Rican1.1%(3,632)
Central American0.6%(2,170)
South American0.4%(1,450)
Salvadoran0.3%(1,089)
Cuban0.3%(875)
Spaniard0.2%(721)
Guatemalan0.2%(716)
Ecuadorian0.2%(613)
Dominican0.1%(413)
Colombian0.1%(357)
Honduran0.1%(295)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.1%(182)
Venezuelan0%(139)
Bolivian0%(115)
Nicaraguan0%(52)
Paraguayan0%(39)
Costa Rican0%(10)
Panamanian0%(8)
Argentine0%(5)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.5%(1,563)
Laotian0.4%(1,463)
Filipino0.4%(1,413)
Chinese0.4%(1,193)
Burmese0.2%(674)
Vietnamese0.2%(596)
Korean0.1%(453)
Pakistani0.1%(380)
Japanese0%(117)
Thai0%(88)
Mongolian0%(74)
Taiwanese0%(54)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Bangladeshi0%(20)
Ancestry
German22.3%(74,909)
Irish12%(40,254)
English8.9%(30,078)
Italian7%(23,454)
Swedish6.2%(20,798)
Polish4.2%(14,088)
American2.9%(9,629)
Norwegian2.8%(9,328)
Scottish1.5%(5,059)
Dutch1.2%(4,135)
French1.2%(4,006)
Subsaharan African0.9%(2,903)
+ 47 more ancestry groups with data
Arab0.6%(1,950)
Danish0.5%(1,833)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(1,648)
Russian0.5%(1,530)
Czech0.4%(1,453)
Swiss0.4%(1,405)
Welsh0.4%(1,365)
French Canadian0.3%(1,130)
Lithuanian0.3%(1,042)
Greek0.3%(927)
Ukrainian0.2%(827)
West Indian0.2%(744)
Iraqi0.2%(707)
Nigerian0.2%(693)
British0.2%(628)
Serbian0.1%(500)
Finnish0.1%(482)
Hungarian0.1%(470)
Austrian0.1%(400)
Croatian0.1%(374)
Belgian0.1%(332)
Egyptian0.1%(326)
Jordanian0.1%(319)
Palestinian0.1%(306)
Portuguese0.1%(305)
Jamaican0.1%(299)
Slovak0.1%(273)
Haitian0.1%(210)
Canadian0.1%(206)
Brazilian0%(126)
Romanian0%(99)
Lebanese0%(98)
Ghanaian0%(98)
Armenian0%(79)
Syrian0.1%(71)
Ethiopian0%(68)
Moroccan0%(62)
Turkish0%(49)
Bulgarian0%(44)
Israeli0%(37)
Slovene0%(36)
Australian0%(28)
Macedonian0%(27)
Iranian0%(20)
Latvian0%(18)
Kenyan0%(15)
Barbadian0%(13)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
88.4%
+7.1 ptssince 2000
from 81.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
74.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 74.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
94.2%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
from 90.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married36.7%(48,501)
Married49.3%(65,198)
Widowed3%(3,916)
Divorced11%(14,549)
Women 15+
Never married31.2%(43,624)
Married46.1%(64,413)
Widowed9.2%(12,893)
Divorced13.4%(18,727)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
12.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 13.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
1.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
63.4%
−2.4 ptssince 2020
from 65.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
43.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 42.0% 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)20.5%(3,160)
Gulf War (1990s)18%(2,777)
Vietnam era38.1%(5,881)
Korean War5.1%(792)
World War II1.7%(258)
Share of the 15,428 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Rockford, decade by decade
| Year | Population | Median household income | Median home value | Bachelor's degree+ | Diversity score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 283,719 | $76,190 | $145,797 | 16.2% | 28.9 |
| 2000 | 320,204 | $81,968 | $172,720 | 18.7% | 43.0 |
| 2010 | 349,431 | $71,022 | $194,605 | 21.1% | 55.1 |
| 2020 | 338,798 | $69,922 | $154,637 | 23.2% | 67.3 |
| 2024 | 336,522 | $68,800 | $172,788 | 25.0% | 67.3 |
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
In this metro
Largest cities
What's inside
2 component counties
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Rockford
Clarksville
Pop 349,001
South Bend
Pop 324,538
Roanoke
Pop 316,547
Waco
Pop 308,807
Places similar to RockfordHead to head
Compare Rockford side by side
ROCKFORD VS
Clarksville
Income$70,081+2%
Home value$250,970+45%
Population349,001+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROCKFORD VS
South Bend
Income$67,435−2%
Home value$196,800+14%
Population324,538−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROCKFORD VS
Roanoke
Income$70,385+2%
Home value$244,820+42%
Population316,547−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ROCKFORD VS
Waco
Income$66,246−4%
Home value$233,362+35%
Population308,807−8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Rockford, IL?
Rockford, IL has about 336,522 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Rockford, IL?
The typical household in Rockford, IL earns about $68,800 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Rockford, IL expensive?
In Rockford, IL, the median home is worth about $172,788, and the typical rent is about $1,024 a month.
How educated are people in Rockford, IL?
About 25.0% of adults age 25 and over in Rockford, IL hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Rockford, IL?
About 14.7% of people in Rockford, IL live below the federal poverty line.
Has Rockford, IL grown since 1990?
Yes, Rockford, IL has grown since 1990. The population has added about 52,803 residents, a change of about 19 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024