Rockford vs Elgin
The short version
- Rockford is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 11% lower than in the Elgin area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $129,000 in Rockford and $273,000 in Elgin.
- Households earn more in Elgin ($90,282 vs $54,752 median).
- Commutes are shorter in Rockford (22 vs 28 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Elgin, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 147,384 | 115,476 |
| Growth since 2020 | -1.1% | +0.6% |
| People per square mile | 2,257 | 3,025 |
| Median age | 37.7 | 36.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24% | 27% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $54,752 | $90,282 |
| Median home value | $129,000 | $273,000 |
| Home value to income | 2.4× | 3.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $985 | $1,361 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.2 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 70.1 | 112.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,100 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 55% | 72% |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.98% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 21.9 | 28.2 |
| Work from home | 10% | 13% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 8.5% | 6.1% |
| Poverty rate | 21.3% | 9.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 29° / 15° | 30° / 14° |
| July high / low | 84° / 64° | 84° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 37 in | 40 in |
| Snowfall per year | 37 in | 32 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 15 | 15 |
| Nights below freezing | 136 | 139 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 92.4 | 94.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 69% | 30% |
| Home prices, past year | +8.1% | +6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +63.8% | +53% |
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: Rockford: May and July to September. Elgin: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Rockford weather by month and Elgin weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,100 in Rockford and $77,700 in Elgin. Moving from Rockford to Elgin, you would need about $84,300 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Rockford and Elgin
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Rockford and Elgin.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.