Rockford, IL Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 336,605 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Rockford, IL Metro Area

What is the median household income in Rockford, IL Metro Area?: The median household income in Rockford, IL Metro Area is $66,571 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Rockford, IL Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Rockford, IL Metro Area is 11.0% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Rockford, IL Metro Area?: $162,600 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Rockford, IL Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Rockford, IL Metro Area is $988 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Rockford, IL Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 24.4% of adults in Rockford, IL Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

336,605

Median Income

$66,571

Median Home Value

$162,600

Poverty Rate

11.0%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

7.3%

Median Age

39.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$10,544 (+18.8%) Home Value: +$37,800 (+30.3%) Poverty Rate: +0.1 pp (+0.9%) Bachelor's+: +1.4 pp (+6.1%) Unemployment: -0.5 pp (-6.4%)

Demographics

Total Population 336,605

Median Age 39.0

Female 50.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 16.6% White (non-Hisp.) 65.4% Black 11.6% Asian 2.6% Two or More 9.2% Other 6.2%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Indian

0.5%

Filipino

0.5%

Chinese

0.3%

Vietnamese

0.2%

Korean

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

13.6%

Puerto Rican

1.1%

Cuban

0.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $66,571 ±$1,510

Per Capita Income $87,741

Median Family Income $83,523

Poverty Rate 11.0%

Child Poverty Rate 19.0%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 19.2%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 26.4%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

5.6%

$10–15k

4.1%

$15–25k

7.8%

$25–35k

8.4%

$35–50k

12.0%

$50–75k

17.5%

$75–100k

13.2%

$100–150k

16.3%

$150–200k

8.3%

$200k+

6.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 145,197

Owner-Occupied 67.8%

Renter-Occupied 32.2%

Vacancy Rate 7.3%

Median Home Value $162,600

Median Gross Rent $988

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 17.4%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 40.5%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

6.7%

$50–100k

15.9%

$100–200k

21.9%

$200–300k

22.5%

$300–500k

8.8%

$500k–$1M

2.5%

$1M+

0.3%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

8.6%

$500–1k

42.8%

$1–1.5k

36.1%

$1.5–2k

9.2%

$2–2.5k

2.0%

$2.5–3.5k

0.5%

$3.5k+

0.8%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

7.9%

1 vehicle

33.5%

2 vehicles

37.6%

21.0%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

71.2%

Single-fam. att.

4.3%

2–4 units

5.9%

5–19 units

3.5%

20+ units

4.5%

Mobile home

1.9%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

15.8%

1940–1969

5.9%

1970–1999

14.7%

2000–2009

12.2%

2010+

2.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 88.2%

Bachelor's or Higher 24.4%

Graduate Degree 8.9%

Some College / Associate 23.6%

Less Than High School 4.0%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 62.5%

Unemployment Rate 7.3%

Work from Home 8.5%

Self-Employed 3.9%

Government Workers 11.1%

Private For-Profit 84.8%

Industry

Edu/Health

22.0%

Manufacturing

20.2%

Retail

11.7%

Prof. Services

8.6%

Arts/Entmt.

8.1%

Transportation

6.8%

Construction

6.2%

Finance

4.0%

Public Admin

2.9%

Wholesale

2.5%

Information

1.1%

Agriculture

0.8%

Occupation

Management

33.3%

Production

21.3%

Sales

19.9%

Food Prep

16.6%

Construction

8.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 23.6 min

Drove Alone 78.6%

Carpool 10.0%

Public Transit 0.5%

Work from Home 8.5%

Walked 1.1%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 134,604

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 44.9%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 15.3%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

6.0%

5–9

6.5%

10–14

6.8%

15–19

6.7%

20–24

6.1%

25–34

12.3%

35–44

12.0%

45–54

12.4%

55–64

6.8%

65–74

6.5%

75–84

10.6%

85+

5.0%

Under 18: 23.7% Working age (18–64): 76.3% 65 and over: 17.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 8.9%

Naturalized Citizen 48.7%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 5.1%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

52.4%

Asia

23.6%

Europe

14.3%

Africa

7.4%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 6.3%

With a Disability 14.7%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 94.1%

Uninsured 5.9%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 87.9%

Has a Computer 93.3%

Same House 1 Year Ago 87.6%

Moved from Abroad 0.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023