61101 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
61104
61101
Opportunity
9 · Bottom 1%
vs13 · Bottom 1%
Growth
40 · Bottom 33%
vs40 · Bottom 33%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 46%
vs62 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 35%
vs79 · Bottom 49%
Schools
8 · Bottom 1%
vs8 · Bottom 1%
Access
65 · Bottom 9%
vs68 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
26 · Bottom 5%
vs28 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | 61104 | 61101 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,222 | 19,318 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $33,772 | $46,163 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,510 | $24,971 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,827/sq mi | 465/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $90,100 | $90,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $887 | $1,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 37.8% | 51.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.3% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 37.6% | 30.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 143 | 143 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 27.7% | 27.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.2" | 37.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 63 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.4 | 37.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.35 | 18.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 5.6% | 6.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 5.5% | 7.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 86.2% | 73.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
61104
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
61101
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: 61104 — Rockford, IL · 61101 — Rockford, IL · How this is calculated: methodology