Metro area profile · Illinois
Rockford, IL metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Rockford metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 337,242
- −0.3% since 2020
- Households
- 135,474
- Median household income
- $68,033
- +21.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $171,300
- Jobs located here
- 135,218
- Highest market score
- 69
- Primary care and pediatrics, #65 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Rockford metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Rockford metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 337,242 people live in the Rockford metro area, in 135,474 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Rockford metro area from 2020 to 2025 at −0.3%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Rockford metro area is $68,033 a year, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 21.4% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Rockford metro area spend the most on medical and dental services (an index of 105, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (65).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Rockford metro area are for primary care and pediatric clinics (69), coffee shops and cafes (67) and car washes and detailers (65). The Rockford metro area ranks #65 of 387 scored metro areas for primary care and pediatric clinics.
The Rockford metro area takes in 2 counties: Winnebago County and Boone County. For its number of households, the Rockford metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for roofing and gutter companies (97% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for mortgage brokers and lenders (70% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Rockford metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Rockford metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary care and pediatrics | 69 | #65 of 387 | 63 | 4.7 | $2.9M | 164 | 146 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 67 | #57 of 387 | 95 | 7.0 | $5.3M | 142 | 47 |
| Car washes and detailing | 65 | #79 of 387 | 46 | 3.4 | $2.9M | 116 | 14 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 63 | #93 of 387 | 993 | 73.3 | $185K | 121 | 376 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 62 | #80 of 373 | 17 | 1.3 | Index only | 276 | 8 |
| Physical therapy | 62 | #104 of 386 | 61 | 4.5 | $3M | 125 | 43 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 59 | #115 of 386 | 57 | 4.2 | $3.2M | 103 | 15 |
| Property management | 57 | #116 of 374 | 24 | 1.8 | Index only | 137 | 26 |
| Veterinarians | 57 | #141 of 384 | 35 | 2.6 | $3.1M | 114 | 28 |
| Real estate | 56 | #123 of 387 | 263 | 19.4 | Index only | 161 | 165 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 56 | #125 of 387 | 48 | 3.5 | $2.3M | 115 | 26 |
| Electricians | 56 | #143 of 383 | 27 | 2.0 | $13M | 108 | 50 |
| Pest control | 55 | #134 of 345 | 12 | 0.9 | $13.3M | 130 | 11 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 55 | #150 of 387 | 153 | 11.3 | $1.2M | 122 | 116 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 55 | #155 of 387 | 109 | 8.0 | $4.6M | 111 | 53 |
| Convenience stores | 55 | #166 of 387 | 88 | 6.5 | $9M | 114 | 21 |
| Nail salons | 54 | #159 of 387 | 69 | 5.1 | $1.9M | 111 | 12 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 53 | #160 of 387 | 580 | 42.8 | $221K | 104 | 88 |
| Home inspectors | 52 | #114 of 243 | 7 | 0.5 | Index only | 100 | 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 52 | #165 of 387 | 640 | 47.2 | $782K | 118 | 239 |
| Spas and skin care | 52 | #167 of 387 | 117 | 8.6 | $1.1M | 125 | 27 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 52 | #178 of 387 | 1,260 | 93.0 | $397K | 107 | 566 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 52 | #192 of 387 | 182 | 13.4 | $1.4M | 111 | 87 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 51 | #168 of 387 | 215 | 15.9 | Index only | 156 | 100 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 51 | #192 of 387 | 201 | 14.8 | $3.9M | 117 | 84 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 51 | #200 of 387 | 252 | 18.6 | $1M | 115 | 113 |
| Hair salons | 50 | #184 of 387 | 303 | 22.4 | $423K | 98 | 49 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 48 | #181 of 347 | 18 | 1.3 | $6.2M | 152 | 49 |
| Pet stores | 48 | #204 of 382 | 26 | 1.9 | $4.2M | 92 | 6 |
| Child care and preschools | 48 | #208 of 387 | 57 | 4.2 | $898K | 90 | 36 |
| Tire shops | 47 | #227 of 386 | 54 | 4.0 | $2.5M | 100 | 21 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 46 | #223 of 387 | 169 | 12.5 | $658K | 99 | 75 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 45 | #235 of 387 | 77 | 5.7 | $4.6M | 96 | 97 |
| Pet businesses | 45 | #236 of 387 | 140 | 10.3 | $774K | 88 | 61 |
| Dry cleaners | 42 | #176 of 272 | 14 | 1.0 | $18.3M | 117 | 13 |
| Funeral homes | 42 | #236 of 377 | 35 | 2.6 | $575K | 85 | 17 |
| Grocery stores | 40 | #256 of 387 | 74 | 5.5 | $10.7M | 115 | 63 |
| Pizza | 39 | #275 of 387 | 104 | 7.7 | $4.8M | 95 | 278 |
| Chiropractors | 39 | #281 of 386 | 79 | 5.8 | $2.3M | 97 | 52 |
| House cleaning | 36 | #297 of 375 | 29 | 2.1 | $5.5M | 86 | 61 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 34 | #304 of 381 | 50 | 3.7 | $2.7M | 87 | 36 |
| Auto repair and car care | 34 | #308 of 387 | 546 | 40.3 | $247K | 92 | 229 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 33 | #294 of 387 | 206 | 15.2 | $2.4M | 80 | 278 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 32 | #233 of 290 | 15 | 1.1 | $9M | 65 | 12 |
| Gyms | 32 | #339 of 387 | 103 | 7.6 | $1.1M | 83 | 49 |
| Barbershops | 31 | #325 of 387 | 85 | 6.3 | $1.5M | 80 | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | 30 | #301 of 364 | 22 | 1.6 | $11.6M | 93 | 13 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 30 | #329 of 386 | 61 | 4.5 | $1.8M | 70 | 27 |
| Home repair trades | 30 | #352 of 387 | 200 | 14.8 | $1.8M | 72 | 203 |
| Auto repair shops | 29 | #337 of 387 | 343 | 25.3 | $393K | 88 | 173 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 23 | #369 of 387 | 139 | 10.3 | $1.2M | 69 | 223 |
| Gas stations | 21 | #361 of 387 | 204 | 15.1 | $1.7M | 71 | 142 |
| Insurance agencies | 16 | #378 of 387 | 270 | 19.9 | $770K | 61 | 143 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 15 | #383 of 385 | 98 | 7.2 | $1.6M | 56 | 151 |
| Roofing and gutters | 10 | #381 of 381 | 96 | 7.1 | $3.7M | 43 | 56 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.3 | $46M | 187 | 4 |
Household spending in the Rockford metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $134.7M | $994 | 104 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $343.1M | $2,533 | 98 |
| Food away from home | $500.8M | $3,697 | 91 |
| Groceries | $793.6M | $5,858 | 93 |
| Personal care products and services | $128.1M | $945 | 94 |
| Child care and other personal services | $51.2M | $378 | 65 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $111.2M | $821 | 83 |
| Medical and dental services | $183.9M | $1,357 | 105 |
| Pets | $108.4M | $800 | 88 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $255.7M | $1,888 | 92 |
| Vehicle insurance | $208M | $1,535 | 78 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $351.4M | $2,594 | 86 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $160M | $1,181 | 84 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.8B | $13,523 | 81 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Rockford metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 337,242−0.3% since 2020
- Households
- 135,474
- Median age
- 40.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 68%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.7
- Land area
- 794 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 424
- Median household income
- $68,033+21.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $89,321
- Median home value
- $171,300
- Jobs located here
- 135,218
- Daytime population
- 319,715Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Rockford metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Rockford metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Rockford metro area 2
- Winnebago County, IL283,292 people
- Boone County, IL53,230 people
Other markets based in Illinois 12
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area9,371,595 people
- Peoria, IL metro area365,202 people
- Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area238,842 people
- Springfield, IL metro area207,042 people
- Bloomington, IL metro area171,556 people
- Kankakee, IL metro area106,635 people
- Decatur, IL metro area101,849 people
- Ottawa, IL area147,181 people
- Quincy, IL-MO area74,678 people
- Danville, IL area72,386 people
- Marion-Herrin, IL area66,876 people
- Sterling, IL area54,947 people
Questions
How fast is the Rockford, IL metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Rockford metro area at 337,242 people in 2025, down 0.3% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 135,474 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 21.4%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Rockford, IL metro area spend?
Households in the Rockford metro area spend about $1.8B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $793.6M on groceries and $500.8M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Rockford metro area runs highest on medical and dental services (an index of 105, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (65).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Rockford, IL metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Rockford metro area, primary care and pediatric clinics (69), coffee shops and cafes (67) and car washes and detailers (65) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For primary care and pediatric clinics, that ranks #65 of 387 scored metro areas.
How does the Rockford, IL metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Rockford metro area is $68,033, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 0.3% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $171,300, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for roofing and gutter companies (97% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for mortgage brokers and lenders (70% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in the Rockford metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Rockford metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Rockford metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Rockford metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.