Jobs, pay and daily life in Rockford, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Rockford is a city in Illinois with 147,521 residents. The median household earns $54,752 a year and the median rent is $985 a month, which is 21.6% of the median household income. It is part of the Rockford, IL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 137,650 jobs.
How Rockford compares. Among the 100 largest places in Illinois, Rockford is #5 by population, #92 for household income (#1 = highest), #91 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #13 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Winnebago County, is #20 of 102 counties for average pay ($59,400).
Rockford has 147,521 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.2% of the population of Illinois. It covers 65 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,259 people per square mile. The median age is 37.7, 3% younger than the state median (37.7 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $985 a month (rent plus utilities), 23% below the state median ($985 against $1,274). Over a year that is 21.6% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $129,000, which is 2.4 times the median household income ($54,752); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 55.0% of households own their home, 18% below the state average (55.0% against 67.1%).
The Rockford, IL metropolitan area has 137,650 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,120 a year, 8% below the national median ($47,120 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (16,500 jobs, median $46,670); transportation and material moving (16,390 jobs, median $44,200); office and administrative support (13,760 jobs, median $45,570). The area is most specialised in production (2.2 times) and transportation and material moving (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($105,510) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($80,000). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Winnebago County was 4.5%. 59.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Winnebago County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 74.3% drive alone, 1.0% use public transit, 1.3% walk, 10.1% work from home. 10.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 45% below the state average (10.9% against 19.7%).
23.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 38% below the state share (23.5% against 37.9%). 12.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 15% below the state share (12.6% against 14.8%). The poverty rate is 21.3%, 81% above the state rate (21.3% against 11.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 19°F (-7.1°C). About 965 mm (38 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (129 mm) and Jan the driest (38 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Belvidere (9 miles, similar rent); Beloit (18 miles, rent 8% higher); DeKalb (28 miles, rent 4% higher); Freeport (29 miles, rent 19% lower). Rent differences are against Rockford; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Illinois (1,060) →State guide: IllinoisCountry guideWinnebago CountyIllinois rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,060 federal postings open in Illinois (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Illinois →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 5,940 | 2.27 | $44,200 | $33,420 | $50,410 | +10% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,620 | 1.54 | $80,930 | $66,320 | $112,790 | -17% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,630 | 1.07 | $31,640 | $31,200 | $35,310 | +1% |
| Cashiers | 3,620 | 1.32 | $31,680 | $31,200 | $37,380 | -4% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,340 | 1.08 | $98,390 | $50,640 | $210,940 | -7% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 3,130 | 2.52 | $45,670 | $35,670 | $66,040 | +2% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,110 | 1.24 | $36,020 | $31,200 | $45,820 | -4% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,970 | 0.86 | $33,540 | $31,200 | $47,000 | -5% |
| Nursing Assistants | 2,120 | 1.65 | $40,140 | $37,440 | $48,810 | -5% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,070 | 0.90 | $43,260 | $31,210 | $64,210 | -3% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,010 | 1.03 | $35,970 | $31,200 | $46,470 | -2% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,000 | 0.52 | $37,270 | $32,560 | $39,380 | +4% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,000 | 0.92 | $43,400 | $31,200 | $61,460 | -4% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,980 | 1.46 | $53,610 | $35,900 | $78,850 | +8% |
| Machinists | 1,800 | 7.10 | $49,700 | $36,750 | $72,420 | -15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,710 | 0.85 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $46,540 | -11% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,690 | 0.93 | $59,900 | $38,660 | $88,590 | +2% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,530 | 1.25 | $64,200 | $47,020 | $97,770 | +0% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,470 | 1.17 | $32,020 | $31,200 | $46,300 | -13% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 1,380 | 4.11 | $40,990 | $31,200 | $51,740 | -5% |
These figures are for the whole Rockford, IL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,120 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.7% |
| Manufacturing | 18.3% |
| Retail trade | 12.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.8% |
| Construction | 5.5% |
| Other services | 4.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.1% |
| Public administration | 2.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.0% |
| Information | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Rockford lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Ogle County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago County | 283,292 | $18,798 million | $66,355 | 126,415 | 5,870 | $59,400 | +0.9% | 4.5% | 128,413 |
| Ogle County | 51,495 | $3,853 million | $74,831 | 14,934 | 1,030 | $58,187 | -0.9% | 3.5% | 24,044 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 23,841 | 21.0% | $71,006 | 1.32 |
| Manufacturing | 22,458 | 19.8% | $77,653 | 2.16 |
| Retail trade | 14,200 | 12.5% | $36,421 | 1.12 |
| Accommodation and food services | 10,718 | 9.5% | $23,045 | 0.93 |
| Administrative and waste services | 8,454 | 7.5% | $43,134 | 1.14 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7,298 | 6.4% | $47,452 | 1.36 |
| Wholesale trade | 4,613 | 4.1% | $78,459 | 0.93 |
| Construction | 4,548 | 4.0% | $85,458 | 0.69 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3,571 | 3.2% | $40,489 | 0.94 |
| Professional and technical services | 3,218 | 2.8% | $78,049 | 0.37 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 2,808 | 2.5% | $27,215 | 1.32 |
| Finance and insurance | 2,690 | 2.4% | $85,170 | 0.52 |
| Educational services | 1,585 | 1.4% | $35,335 | 0.61 |
| Information | 1,091 | 1.0% | $73,496 | 0.46 |
| Utilities | 1,048 | 0.9% | $143,713 | 2.18 |
| Real estate and rental | 925 | 0.8% | $51,676 | 0.47 |
| Management of companies | 151 | 0.1% | $94,083 | 0.07 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 138 | 0.1% | $30,571 | 0.13 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 8 | 0.0% | $58,953 | 0.02 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 74.3% |
| Public transit | 1.0% |
| Walk | 1.3% |
| Work from home | 10.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,752 |
| Income per person | $31,263 |
| Median gross rent per month | $985 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.6% |
| Median home value | $129,000 |
| Homeowners | 55.0% |
| Poverty rate | 21.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,120 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.95%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 84.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 23.5% |
| Born abroad | 12.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -7.1 | 19 | 38 |
| Feb | -5.5 | 22 | 43 |
| Mar | 1.6 | 35 | 60 |
| Apr | 8.3 | 47 | 93 |
| May | 14.7 | 58 | 108 |
| Jun | 20.4 | 69 | 129 |
| Jul | 22.8 | 73 | 104 |
| Aug | 21.7 | 71 | 107 |
| Sep | 17.5 | 64 | 93 |
| Oct | 9.9 | 50 | 80 |
| Nov | 2.8 | 37 | 56 |
| Dec | -4.0 | 25 | 54 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belvidere | IL | 9 mi | 24,752 | $64,528 | $991 |
| Beloit | WI | 18 mi | 36,534 | $62,663 | $1,066 |
| DeKalb | IL | 28 mi | 40,443 | $46,481 | $1,029 |
| Freeport | IL | 29 mi | 23,505 | $51,723 | $793 |
| Janesville | WI | 30 mi | 66,030 | $73,446 | $1,054 |
| Woodstock | IL | 32 mi | 26,147 | $82,758 | $1,212 |
| Huntley | IL | 33 mi | 28,005 | $88,536 | $1,622 |
| Crystal Lake | IL | 37 mi | 40,579 | $108,418 | $1,468 |
| Algonquin | IL | 39 mi | 30,067 | $134,525 | $1,723 |
| Lake in the Hills | IL | 39 mi | 28,800 | $117,151 | $1,689 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
147,521 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$985 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.6% of the median household income.
$54,752 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.5% (BLS county, Winnebago County (latest month 2026M09)).
Illinois. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.