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Rockford, IL

South Beloit is part of the Rockford area. This page covers the whole metro.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Rockford

Anderson Gardens tea house
Anderson Gardens tea house · Photo: Bryan Lee, CC BY-SA 3.0
Anderson Japanese Gardens Landscape
Anderson Japanese Gardens Landscape · Photo: BrieCollette, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bengt Sjostrom Theatre Interior Rendering
Bengt Sjostrom Theatre Interior Rendering · Photo: Bganas ( talk ) ( Uploads ), CC BY 3.0
Cathedral of St. Peter Rockford
Cathedral of St. Peter Rockford · Photo: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
East State Street in downtown Rockford
East State Street in downtown Rockford · Photo: Alexbaumgarner, CC BY-SA 3.0
Fordham Dam Rockford IL
Illinois Red Bud through Rockford
Illinois Red Bud through Rockford · Photo: Unknown author Unknown author or not provided, Public domain
Main Terminal at Chicago Rockford Int'l Airport
Main Terminal at Chicago Rockford Int'l Airport · Photo: Alexbaumgarner, CC BY-SA 3.0
Nicholas Conservatory interior
Nicholas Conservatory interior · Photo: Bryan Lee, CC BY-SA 3.0
Rockford Sinnissippi Rose Garden
Rockford Sinnissippi Rose Garden · Photo: Bryant Andrej Jestafie, CC BY 2.0
Rockford Il
Rockford Il · Photo: IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
Rockford Il Memorial
Rockford Il Memorial · Photo: IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
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Where it is
Rockford
Rockford in Illinois
Illinois in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Rockford area.

21
grocery stores
139
restaurants
25
coffee shops
106
parks
92
playgrounds
6
libraries
9
live theaters
10
museums
12
bookstores
13
gyms
42
bars
16
pharmacies
5
hospitals

None found within 5 miles: movie theaters.

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Rockford area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
55 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
39 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 41,501 rented homes in the Rockford area, 97% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 51%
$1,000 to $1,499: 36%
$1,500 to $1,999: 9%
$2,000 to $2,499: 2%
$2,500 to $2,999: 1%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Rockford area rents for under $1,000 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about under $2,000 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Illinois

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Illinois DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Illinois voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

11 public school districts in this county, with about 43,310 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Rockford Sd 205 · Rockford
27,442 students · 17.7 students per teacher · 45 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Harlem Ud 122 · Machesney Park
6,178 students · 14 students per teacher · 11 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Hononegah Chd 207 · Rockton
1,891 students · 16.9 students per teacher · 1 school · grades 9 to 12
Kinnikinnick Ccsd 131 · Roscoe
1,724 students · 15.4 students per teacher · 4 schools · grades Pre-K to 8
Rockton Sd 140 · Rockton
1,602 students · 16.2 students per teacher · 3 schools · grades Pre-K to 8

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Illinois keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$282/week
about $14,700 a year
$161/week
about $8,400 a year
Toddler (2)$215/week
about $11,200 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$185/week
about $9,600 a year
$155/week
about $8,100 a year
School-age$43/week
about $2,200 a year

For an infant at a center: $282/week here, $283 across IL, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 19% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Illinois →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

3 colleges in the county around Rockford. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Rock Valley College · Rockford
Public, 2-year (community college) · 5,480 students · $4,274 in-district, $21,344 out-of-state
Rockford University · Rockford
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,249 students · $37,000 a year
Saint Anthony College of Nursing · Rockford
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 228 students · $27,811 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$224,246
What a typical home sells for across the Rockford area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 8% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $92 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 92.2 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 1 hr 44 min at rush hour
To downtown Chicago, IL, 90 miles. About 1 hr 36 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
24 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Homeowners insurance
About $2,643 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in IL. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively High
Hail is a real cost here: roof claims are common and some insurers charge a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail. Covered parking helps protect a car.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
5 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
19.7 per 100,000 people a year
56 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. IL average: 14.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 9.9 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 435 people without housing in the Rockford/DeKalb, Winnebago, Boone Counties area (3 counties): 421 in shelters and 14 outside, down from 486 in 2024. IL: 11.5 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$64,363
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
2.48% of home value a year
About $2,480 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 4.95%
IL's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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