Rockford

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Rockford, IL

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A historic industrial powerhouse reborn as a modern city pursuing revitalization

Affordable Live Music Airport Museums Nature

One of the largest cities in Illinois, Rockford is a beautiful and historic city on the banks of the Rock River. Rockford was even nicknamed “Forest City” because of its verdant woods and lush river valleys. Admire Rockford’s natural beauty at the Anderson Japanese Gardens. Having grown as a manufacturing hub in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Rockford has seen recent growth in the aerospace and healthcare industries. The community strives for improvement each year with investments towards infrastructure and neighborhood revitalization. Chicago Rockford International Airport is in town for added convenience. The downtown area is full of gloriously restored buildings and urban apartments, creating a charming atmosphere where folks love to stroll the sidewalks and pop into the various storefront specialty shops, cafes, and bars.

Rockford has a variety of unique attractions available for locals to have a great time. As the hometown of Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame band, Cheap Trick, the city maintains the tradition of live music through various venues in town. Major stages like the BMO Harris Bank Center regularly host performances by regional and national acts while the historic Coronado Theatre serves as city favorite and a major community landmark as well. For some fun the entire family can enjoy, visit the Magic Waters waterpark right outside the edge of town.

Enjoying a unique position in north central Illinois, your new home of Rockford is only a ninety minute drive from Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison, making it easy to enjoy a weekend trip in any of three major Midwest cities.

Explore the City

A lotus blooms at Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford

The historic SYMBOL sculpture in Rockford was built in 1834

Rent Trends

As of March 2025, the average apartment rent in Rockford, IL is $851 for a studio, $941 for one bedroom, $1,198 for two bedrooms, and $1,421 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Rockford has increased by 5.2% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$941/month
615 Sq Ft
House
$1,534/month
710 Sq Ft
Condo
$1,325/month
1,224 Sq Ft
Townhome
$1,434/month
1,055 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Rockford, IL

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Rockford, IL is 12.0% lower than the national average. Generally, housing in Rockford is 32.6% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $851 - $1,421. You can expect to pay 2.5% less for groceries, 9.1% less for utilities, and 6.9% more for transportation.

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Transportation

45

Car-Dependent

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

This area is considered a car-dependent area and most errands will require a car.

44

Somewhat Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.

Schools

Thurgood Marshall School

Public

Grades 5-8

482 Students

10
out of 10

Thurgood Marshall Elementary

Public

Grades 1-4

365 Students

10
out of 10

Montessori Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-8

610 Students

7
out of 10

White Swan Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

639 Students

6
out of 10

Brookview Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

470 Students

6
out of 10

Thurgood Marshall School

Public

Grades 5-8

482 Students

10
out of 10

Montessori Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-8

610 Students

7
out of 10

Barbour Two-Way Lang Immersion

Public

Grades K-8

636 Students

5
out of 10

Eisenhower Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

961 Students

2
out of 10

West Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

849 Students

2
out of 10

Guilford High School

Public

Grades 9-12

2,071 Students

3
out of 10

Auburn High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,936 Students

3
out of 10

Rockford East High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,718 Students

2
out of 10

Jefferson High School

Public

Grades 9-12

2,114 Students

1
out of 10

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden
  • Carl & Lois Klehm Preserve
  • Tinker Swiss Cottage & Gardens
  • Discovery Center Museum
  • Burpee Museum of Natural History

Airports

  • Chicago/Rockford International

Top Apartments in Rockford

Houses for Rent in Rockford

Property Management Companies in Rockford, IL

Living in Rockford

Restaurants

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Rockford offers several terrific restaurants, from Japanese to Italian cuisine. Places like Shogun, Spider Sushi, and Ciao Bella provide excellent meals at affordable prices. Rockford also hosts an emerging craft brewery scene, with bars opening all over town. Be sure to visit Carlyle, Kryptonite, and Pig Minds. Many places also offer live music, especially on weekends.

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2025.