61111 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
61109
61111
Opportunity
19 · Bottom 2%
vs26 · Bottom 5%
Growth
40 · Bottom 33%
vs42 · Bottom 38%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 46%
vs62 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
16 · Bottom 6%
vs41 · Bottom 37%
Access
66 · Bottom 9%
vs68 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 38%
vs58 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | 61109 | 61111 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,768 | 23,286 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,973 | $61,393 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,806 | $36,240 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 695/sq mi | 1,637/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $139,400 | $158,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $959 | $1,119 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.2% | 60.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.2% | 25.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 143 | 47 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 27.7% | -2.1% | 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 | 61 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 22.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.93 | 13.36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 9.5% | 12.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 12.8% | 22.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 72.5% | 65.8% | 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
61109
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
61111
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: 61109 — Rockford, IL · 61111 — Loves Park, IL · How this is calculated: methodology