Rockford

About Rockford

Rockford is a city in Winnebago and Ogle counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located in far northern Illinois on the banks of the Rock River. It is the fifth-most populous city in Illinois, with a population of 148,655 at the 2020 census. The Rockford metropolitan area has an estimated 337,000 residents. Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County and the most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Rockford was settled as Midway in the mid-1830s due to its location roughly equidistant between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River. The city became notable in the 19th and early 20th centuries for its production of heavy machinery and furniture, but like other Rust Belt cities, Rockford experienced significant industrial decline in the late 20th century. Since the late 1990s, Rockford has pursued economic diversification in the automotive and healthcare industries, as well as downtown revitalization and tourism initiatives.

Nicknamed "the Forest City" for its heavily forested residential neighborhoods, Rockford is home to historical and cultural sites including the Anderson Japanese Gardens, Klehm Arboretum, Tinker Swiss Cottage, the BMO Harris Bank Center, the Coronado Theatre, the Laurent House, and the Burpee Museum of Natural History. Its contributions to music are noted in the Mendelssohn Club, and performers such as Cheap Trick and Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps.

Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Rockford weather: 7-day forecast

Source: National Weather Service (NOAA).

Live webcams in Rockford

Webcams: Windy.com

Living in Rockford

Median household income

$54,752

Median home value

$129,000

Median rent

$985/mo

Median age

37.7

Map of Rockford

Tap any street on the map to see it in Street View below. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Rockford Street View

Drag the image to look around and tap the arrows on the ground to move. If it says there is no imagery, tap a nearby street on the map above.

Rockford, IL population

Rockford had 148,655 residents in the 2020 Census.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.

Rockford at a glance

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.

Towns near Rockford

• Cherry Valley4.8 mi E
• New Milford6.3 mi S
• Loves Park6.4 mi NE
• Machesney Park7.7 mi N
• Winnebago8.7 mi W
• Belvidere9.0 mi E
• Argyle9.2 mi NE
• Davis Junction10.1 mi S
• Timberlane11.4 mi NE
• Caledonia11.5 mi NE
• Monroe Center11.6 mi S
• Candlewick Lake11.7 mi NE

Straight-line distance between town centers.

Frequently asked questions about Rockford