Rock Island receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rock Island
Kewanee
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 15%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Growth
21 · Bottom 8%
vs16 · Bottom 5%
Climate
59 · Bottom 13%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs98 · Top 12%
Schools
19 · Bottom 10%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 17%
vs35 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Rock Island | Kewanee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,151 | 11,913 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,041 | $50,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,053 | $29,324 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,062/sq mi | 1,806/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $125,900 | $73,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $842 | $797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.8% | 69.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.5% | 16.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.3" | 39.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 33 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 21.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 46.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.04 | 14.71 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 11.2% | 12.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 12.1% | 28.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.1% | 64.8% | 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
Rock Island
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Kewanee
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Rock Island
57
Your Score
54
Area Score
Kewanee
54
Your Score
52
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Rock Island, IL · Kewanee, IL · How this is calculated: methodology