Iowa City vs Rockford
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $129,000 in Rockford and $285,900 in Iowa City.
- Households earn more in Iowa City ($58,546 vs $54,752 median).
- Rockford gets far more snow: 37 inches a year vs 28.
- Iowa City is growing faster: +1.9% since 2020 vs -1.1%.
- Commutes are shorter in Iowa City (17 vs 22 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Iowa City, IA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 76,229 | 147,384 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.9% | -1.1% |
| People per square mile | 2,959 | 2,257 |
| Median age | 26.2 | 37.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61% | 24% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $58,546 | $54,752 |
| Median home value | $285,900 | $129,000 |
| Home value to income | 4.9× | 2.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,094 | $985 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.5 | 92.2 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 84.0 | 70.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,600 | $69,100 |
| Homeowners | 47% | 55% |
| Top state income tax | 3.8% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.94% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 17.3 | 21.9 |
| Work from home | 12% | 10% |
| Take public transit | 6% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.6% | 8.5% |
| Poverty rate | 26.3% | 21.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 31° / 15° | 29° / 15° |
| July high / low | 86° / 66° | 84° / 64° |
| Precipitation per year | 36 in | 37 in |
| Snowfall per year | 28 in | 37 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 19 | 15 |
| Nights below freezing | 135 | 136 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 87.4 | 92.4 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 70% | 69% |
| Home prices, past year | +3% | +8.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +33.9% | +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: Iowa City: May and July to October. Rockford: May and July to September.
Full monthly tables: Iowa City 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 $68,600 in Iowa City and $69,100 in Rockford. Moving from Iowa City to Rockford, you would need about $75,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Iowa City and Rockford
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Iowa City and Rockford.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.