East Moline receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
East Moline
Rock Island
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Growth
52 · Top 48%
vs21 · Bottom 8%
Climate
59 · Bottom 13%
vs59 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs80 · Top 25%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
19 · Bottom 10%
vs19 · Bottom 10%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 14%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Measured values
| Metric | East Moline | Rock Island | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,904 | 36,151 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,779 | $59,041 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,174 | $34,053 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,432/sq mi | 2,062/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $134,600 | $125,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $868 | $842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 64.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 24.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.8% | 21.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 20 | 10 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.3" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.90 | 16.04 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 8.8% | 11.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 12.7% | 12.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.7% | 77.1% | 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
East Moline
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Rock Island
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
East Moline
61
Your Score
59
Area Score
Rock Island
57
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: East Moline, IL · Rock Island, IL · How this is calculated: methodology