Who moves to Rockford, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Winnebago County, IL, home of Rockford, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 9,434from other US counties
- Moved out
- 9,813to other US counties
- Net
- −379more departures than arrivals
- From abroad
- 53tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 1,269 |
| Boone County, IL | 1,068 |
| Rock County, WI | 717 |
| Kane County, IL (Aurora) | 433 |
| Ogle County, IL | 408 |
| McHenry County, IL | 323 |
| DuPage County, IL (Naperville) | 296 |
| Stephenson County, IL | 261 |
| DeKalb County, IL | 226 |
| Lake County, IL (Waukegan) | 162 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 141 |
| Dane County, WI (Madison) | 132 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Boone County, IL | 849 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 830 |
| Rock County, WI | 681 |
| Ogle County, IL | 390 |
| Stephenson County, IL | 319 |
| Kane County, IL (Aurora) | 233 |
| McHenry County, IL | 207 |
| Dane County, WI (Madison) | 196 |
| DuPage County, IL (Naperville) | 191 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 180 |
| DeKalb County, IL | 175 |
| Milwaukee County, WI (Milwaukee) | 153 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 5,026 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in Illinois and 4,408 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 141 |
| Harris County, TX (Houston) | 61 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 61 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 54 |
| Lee County, FL (Cape Coral) | 42 |
| Tarrant County, TX (Fort Worth) | 34 |
| Champaign County, IL (Champaign) | 31 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 180 |
| Lucas County, OH (Toledo) | 128 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 78 |
| Harris County, TX (Houston) | 76 |
| Lee County, FL (Cape Coral) | 75 |
| Tarrant County, TX (Fort Worth) | 52 |
| Dallas County, TX (Dallas) | 49 |
| Champaign County, IL (Champaign) | 48 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Rockford come from?
Most people moving into Winnebago County, IL come from nearby counties, led by Cook County, IL (1,269 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Maricopa County, AZ.
Where do people leaving Rockford move to?
The top destination is Boone County, IL (849 people). Farther away, the most popular is Maricopa County, AZ.
Are more people moving to Rockford or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 9,434 people moved into Winnebago County, IL from elsewhere in the US and 9,813 moved out, a net loss of 379 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Rockford with any city it trades people with, like Rockford vs Phoenix, Rockford vs Houston, Rockford vs Las Vegas, Rockford vs Los Angeles.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Rockford.