Loves Park receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rockford
Loves Park
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 2%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Growth
42 · Bottom 35%
vs45 · Bottom 40%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 46%
vs63 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs91 · Top 28%
Schools
18 · Bottom 9%
vs38 · Bottom 33%
Access
65 · Bottom 9%
vs68 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 14%
vs59 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Rockford | Loves Park | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 147,521 | 23,502 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,752 | $61,868 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,263 | $37,338 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,259/sq mi | 1,440/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $129,000 | $160,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $985 | $1,120 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.9% | 60.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 25.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.3% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 143 | 47 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 27.7% | -2.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.2" | 37.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 62 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 45 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.62 | 13.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 11.5% | 12.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 13.8% | 22.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.4% | 62.4% | 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
Rockford
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Loves Park
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.
Rockford
50
Your Score
47
Area Score
Loves Park
56
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Rockford, IL · Loves Park, IL · How this is calculated: methodology