DeKalb vs Rockford
DeKalb, Illinois versus Rockford, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
DeKalb and Rockford score about the same overall (41 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | DeKalb | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $47k | $51k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $46k |
| Home Value | $192k | $114k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $906 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.93% | 2.73% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 19.79% | 14.07% |
| Unemployment | 10.7% | 9.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 22°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.9 in | 38.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.1 in | 37.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 102 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 67.8 | 45.5 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 74.9 | 72.3 |
| Violent Crime | 3169/100k | 3694/100k |
| Property Crime | 2584/100k | 2647/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 40,697 | 148,173 |
| Median Age | 24.9 | 37.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.54 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 59.5% | 51.7% |
| Black (%) | 14.5% | 21.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.1% | 19.1% |
| Asian (%) | 4.7% | 3.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 8.3/20 | 7.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 43 mi | 62 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.8% | 83.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 27.52 | 17.68 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is DeKalb or Rockford more affordable?
- Rockford has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with DeKalb's $50k and Rockford's $46k. Median rent is $1k in DeKalb versus $906 in Rockford.
- Is DeKalb or Rockford safer?
- DeKalb has the lower violent crime rate. DeKalb reports 3169/100k and Rockford reports 3694/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in DeKalb or Rockford?
- The median home value is $192k in DeKalb and $114k in Rockford, so homes are more affordable in Rockford.