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Thursday, August 6, 2026

Chicago vs Rockford

Chicago, IL compared with Rockford, IL · 77 miles apart

Chicago has 2,731,585 residents to Rockford’s 147,384. Chicago comes out ahead on median household income, bachelor's degree +, poverty rate. Rockford does better on median rent, homeownership, average commute.

Chicago, IL Rockford, IL
Population 2,731,585 147,384
Density (per sq mi) 11,994 2,254
Median household income $77,902 $54,752
Median home value $334,100 $129,000
Median rent $1,440 $985
Homeownership 46% 54.9%
Average commute 33.1 min 21.9 min
Median age 35.8 37.7
Bachelor's degree + 44.3% 23.5%
Poverty rate 16.8% 21.3%
Unemployment 8% 8.5%
Price to income 4.3× 2.4×
Clear days a year 21
Days above 90°F 11

Highlighted where one city is clearly better on that measure. Population, density, home value and median age carry no highlight — a higher number there is good or bad depending on what you want.

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