Rockford is a city located in Winnebago County Illinois. Rockford has a 2024 population of 145,270. It is also the county seat of Winnebago County. Rockford is currently declining at a rate of -0.58% annually and its population has decreased by -2.29% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 148,670 in 2020.
The average household income in Rockford is $69,196 with a poverty rate of 22.2%. The median age in Rockford is 37.5 years: 35.9 years for males, and 39 years for females.
It is located in both Winnebago County, where it serves as the county seat, and a small portion of the city is also located in Ogle County. By population, Rockford is the third largest city in Illinois, and it is the largest city outside of the Chicago metro area.
Religious residents in Rockford report that the population is predominantly Catholic. However, other religions are practiced among the city’s residents, including Buddhism, Muslim, and Jewish practices. Approximately 14% of Rockford’s population lives below the federal poverty line.
The city was once one of the leading manufacturers in the United States of furniture, machinery, and heavy tools. However, when the manufacturing industry declined, the city turned to other sectors to stimulate the economy, including healthcare, tourism, and aerospace. Currently, the city’s population is down over 3% from the last official census data recorded in 2010. However, the city is making efforts to bring residents back into the city, including a revitalization of the downtown area. Whether these efforts will be successful remains unknown, and only time will tell if Rockford’s population will once again be on the rise.
The city of Rockford was initially established by a group of four men that had come from the nearby town of Galena. Initially, the settlement claimed the name of 'Midway' due to its unique location at a midpoint between the settlements of Chicago and Galena. However, a ford that was placed perfectly on the Rock River lead to a new name for the developing city - Rockford.
The city of Rockford was officially incorporated in 1839 and was granted city status in 1852. The city became known for the craftsmanship of furniture. The industry didn't survive the struggles that the Great Depression and the following Second World War would place on the city. After the wars, Rockford industry became based in machinery, automotive, packaging, and innovation of exciting products. Some of the popular innovations attributed to the area include the airbrush and the dollar bill changer among many other tools.
The 1992 move, A League of Their Own, featured the Rockford Peaches - which was an all-girls baseball team.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Rockford was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 87,206 | 58.85% |
| Black or African American | 32,531 | 21.95% |
| Two or more races | 13,610 | 9.19% |
| Other race | 8,759 | 5.91% |
| Asian | 5,280 | 3.56% |
| Native American | 703 | 0.47% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 84 | 0.06% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 61,242 | 2.36 | 54.1 | 45.9 |
| Non Family | 25,400 | 1.2 | 43.1 | 56.9 |
| Married | 22,193 | 3.08 | 79 | 21 |
| Female | 10,417 | 3.41 | 31.7 | 68.3 |
| Male | 3,232 | 3.2 | 41.8 | 58.2 |
3.09
Average Family Size
2.36
Average Household Size
54.1%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 9,336 | 9.45% |
| Associates Degree | 8,424 | 8.52% |
| Bachelors Degree | 14,317 | 14.49% |
| Graduate Degree | 8,475 | 8.58% |
| High School Graduate | 30,288 | 30.65% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 5,127 | 5.19% |
| Some College | 22,849 | 23.12% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 60,023 | 54,373 | 16,953 |
| Black | 18,889 | 15,921 | 2,417 |
| Hispanic | 14,200 | 9,225 | 1,174 |
| 2+ Races | 5,845 | 4,201 | 790 |
| Other Race | 4,743 | 3,034 | 431 |
| Asian | 3,493 | 2,905 | 1,694 |
| Native American | 419 | 287 | 40 |
| Islander | 64 | 40 | 18 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 90.59%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 48.5%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $56,017 | $64,070 | $49,420 |
| Graduate Degree | $72,643 | $83,818 | $65,631 |
| High School Graduate | $28,827 | $35,032 | $23,027 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $26,257 | $29,871 | $18,406 |
| Overall | $36,484 | $41,985 | $31,092 |
| Some College | $36,145 | $42,454 | $31,576 |
$36,484
Average Earnings
$41,985
Average Male
$31,092
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
79.18% of Rockford residents speak only English, while 20.82% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 14.35% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 31,723 | 12,367 | 38.98% |
| White | 74,477 | 11,267 | 15.13% |
| Hispanic | 27,995 | 5,976 | 21.35% |
| Multiple | 13,308 | 3,775 | 28.37% |
| Other | 8,725 | 1,289 | 14.77% |
| Asian | 5,267 | 829 | 15.74% |
| Islander | 84 | 57 | 67.86% |
| Native | 693 | 15 | 2.16% |
22.2%
Overall Poverty Rate
21.81%
Male Poverty Rate
22.56%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Rockford is Islander, with 67.86% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Rockford is Native, with 2.16% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.85%. Among those working part-time, it was 25.37%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 27.06%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 29.49% |
| High School | 22.7% |
| Some College | 15.36% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.35% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 45.2% |
| Female Unemployed | 42.26% |
| Female Employed | 12.87% |
| Male Employed | 8.48% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $64,220 | $84,254 |
| Households | $50,744 | $69,196 |
| Married Families | $83,146 | $106,179 |
| Non Families | $32,744 | $44,956 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
39.8%
Overall Marriage Rate
42.4%
Male Marriage Rate
37.4%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
7,468
Number of Veterans
6,679
Male Veterans
789
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 2,611 |
| Second Gulf War | 1,147 |
| First Gulf War | 1,012 |
| Korea | 775 |
| World War II | 313 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 2,457 |
| 65 to 74 | 1,852 |
| 55 to 64 | 1,324 |
| 35 to 54 | 1,301 |
| 18 to 34 | 534 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 5,890 | 8.22% |
| Black | 1,084 | 4.83% |
| Hispanic | 378 | 2.07% |
| 2+ Races | 357 | 4.96% |
| Other Race | 77 | 1.25% |
| Asian | 38 | 1.01% |
| Islander | 13 | 20.31% |
| Native American | 9 | 1.62% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
10.65%
Veteran Poverty Rate
34.25%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
60%
Labor Force Participation
54.5%
Employment Rate
9%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
68.65%
Born in Rockford
88.05%
Native Born
11.95%
Foreign Born
6.86%
Non Citizen
5.08%
Naturalized
88.05% of Rockford residents were born in the United States, with 68.65% having been born in Illinois. 6.86% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 141,020 | -850 | -0.6% |
| 2028 | 141,870 | -850 | -0.6% |
| 2027 | 142,720 | -850 | -0.59% |
| 2026 | 143,570 | -850 | -0.59% |
| 2025 | 144,420 | -850 | -0.59% |
| 2024 | 145,270 | -850 | -0.58% |
| 2023 | 146,120 | -526 | -0.36% |
| 2022 | 146,646 | -1,099 | -0.74% |
| 2021 | 147,745 | -925 | -0.62% |
| 2020 | 148,670 | 3,097 | 2.13% |
| 2019 | 145,573 | -734 | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 146,307 | -714 | -0.49% |
| 2017 | 147,021 | -850 | -0.57% |
| 2016 | 147,871 | -659 | -0.44% |
| 2015 | 148,530 | -910 | -0.61% |
| 2014 | 149,440 | -1,223 | -0.81% |
| 2013 | 150,663 | -639 | -0.42% |
| 2012 | 151,302 | -864 | -0.57% |
| 2011 | 152,166 | -1,007 | -0.66% |
| 2010 | 153,173 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 150,115 | 10,689 | 7.67% |
| 1990 | 139,426 | -286 | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 139,712 | -7,658 | -5.2% |
| 1970 | 147,370 | 20,664 | 16.31% |
| 1960 | 126,706 | 33,779 | 36.35% |
| 1950 | 92,927 | 8,290 | 9.79% |
| 1940 | 84,637 | -1,227 | -1.43% |
| 1930 | 85,864 | 20,213 | 30.79% |
| 1920 | 65,651 | 20,250 | 44.6% |
| 1910 | 45,401 | 14,350 | 46.21% |
| 1900 | 31,051 | 7,467 | 31.66% |
| 1890 | 23,584 | 10,455 | 79.63% |
| 1880 | 13,129 | 2,080 | 18.83% |
| 1870 | 11,049 | 4,070 | 58.32% |
| 1860 | 6,979 | -134,041 | -95.05% |