Rockford receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rockford
Fayetteville
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 6%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
34 · Bottom 25%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Climate
59 · Bottom 22%
vs73 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 39%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 28%
vs84 · Bottom 25%
Access
68 · Bottom 34%
vs68 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
60 · Top 38%
vs53 · Top 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Rockford | Fayetteville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 336,522 | 392,380 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,033 | $61,763 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,348 | $32,646 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 424/sq mi | 376/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,300 | $202,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,023 | $1,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.1% | 57.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -2.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.0% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 16.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 408 | 1,326 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 24.0% | -38.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.2" | 44.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 24.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 32.3 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Rockford
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Fayetteville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Rockford
59
Your Score
55
Area Score
Fayetteville
56
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Rockford, IL Metro Area · Fayetteville, NC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology