Erie vs Rockford
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $115,200 in Erie and $129,000 in Rockford.
- Households earn more in Rockford ($54,752 vs $46,113 median).
- Erie has the warmer winter: January highs of 35°F vs 29°F.
- Erie gets far more snow: 104 inches a year vs 37.
- Rockford is growing faster: -1.1% since 2020 vs -3.3%.
- Commutes are shorter in Erie (18 vs 22 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Erie, PA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 91,838 | 147,384 |
| Growth since 2020 | -3.3% | -1.1% |
| People per square mile | 4,800 | 2,257 |
| Median age | 34.8 | 37.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23% | 24% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $46,113 | $54,752 |
| Median home value | $115,200 | $129,000 |
| Home value to income | 2.5× | 2.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $870 | $985 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.0 | 92.2 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 56.8 | 70.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,200 | $69,100 |
| Homeowners | 54% | 55% |
| Top state income tax | 3.07% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.34% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.3 | 21.9 |
| Work from home | 8% | 10% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7.1% | 8.5% |
| Poverty rate | 23.3% | 21.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 35° / 21° | 29° / 15° |
| July high / low | 81° / 64° | 84° / 64° |
| Precipitation per year | 43 in | 37 in |
| Snowfall per year | 104 in | 37 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 5 | 15 |
| Nights below freezing | 112 | 136 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 84.1 | 92.4 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 77% | 69% |
| Home prices, past year | +8% | +8.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +58.6% | +63.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Erie: May to October. Rockford: May and July to September.
Full monthly tables: Erie weather by month and Rockford weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $68,200 in Erie and $69,100 in Rockford. Moving from Erie to Rockford, you would need about $76,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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