Vineland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rockford
Vineland
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 6%
vs33 · Bottom 11%
Growth
34 · Bottom 25%
vs34 · Bottom 25%
Climate
59 · Bottom 22%
vs70 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 39%
vs73 · Top 24%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 28%
vs86 · Bottom 27%
Access
68 · Bottom 34%
vs84 · Top 35%
Economic stability
60 · Top 38%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Rockford | Vineland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 336,522 | 153,305 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,033 | $67,436 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,348 | $32,721 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 424/sq mi | 317/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,300 | $221,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,023 | $1,282 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.1% | 66.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 6.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.0% | 18.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 408 | 171 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 24.0% | -6.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.2" | 43.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 37.7 | 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.
Vineland
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding, strong wind.
Full profiles: Rockford, IL Metro Area · Vineland, NJ Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology