Lima receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rockford
Lima
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 6%
vs43 · Bottom 25%
Growth
34 · Bottom 25%
vs28 · Bottom 16%
Climate
59 · Bottom 22%
vs63 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 39%
vs71 · Top 27%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 28%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
68 · Bottom 34%
vs69 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
60 · Top 38%
vs59 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Rockford | Lima | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 336,522 | 101,348 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,033 | $64,038 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,348 | $34,331 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 424/sq mi | 252/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,300 | $165,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,023 | $922 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.1% | 67.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.0% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 13.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 408 | 128 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 24.0% | -7.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.2" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 20.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 39.7 | 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.
Lima
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, tornado.
Full profiles: Rockford, IL Metro Area · Lima, OH Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology