Rockford, Illinois Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

by btobers · Published January 13, 2021 · Updated September 5, 2024

Rockford, Illinois is a vibrant and diverse city located in the northern part of the state, about 90 miles northwest of Chicago. With a population of around 152,000 people, Rockford is the third-largest city in Illinois and the largest city in the northern region. It is known as a hub for manufacturing and transportation due to its strategic location on the Rock River. The city has a long history of innovation and entrepreneurship that has helped it become an important economic center for the region.

The area was first settled in 1834 by Germanicus Kent, who established a trading post near what would become downtown Rockford. The city was officially incorporated in 1839 and quickly became an important transportation hub due to its location on the Rock River. By 1850, it had become one of the largest cities in Illinois with over 7,000 residents. During this time period, many factories were built along the riverfront to take advantage of its power source for manufacturing purposes.

Today, Rockford is home to many different industries including automotive parts manufacturing, aerospace technology and medical device production. It is also home to several large employers such as Woodward Inc., Chrysler Corporation and SwedishAmerican Hospital. Other major industries include food processing and furniture production as well as educational institutions such as Northern Illinois University (NIU) College of Medicine and University of Illinois College of Nursing at Rockford (UICN).

Rockford offers numerous recreational activities for residents including a variety of museums such as Midway Village Museum Center which features artifacts from local history; Anderson Japanese Gardens which features beautiful Japanese gardens; Burpee Museum Of Natural History which features exhibits on animals from around the world; Tinker Swiss Cottage which showcases Victorian-era architecture; plus outdoor activities like golfing at Aldeen Golf Club or kayaking on Lockwood Park Lake.

Rockford also has an exciting nightlife with plenty of bars, clubs and restaurants offering up delicious cuisine from all over the world plus live music venues like Coronado Performing Arts Center or Venue 1444 featuring some amazing local talent! With so much going on in this vibrant midwestern city it’s no wonder why so many people are drawn to living or visiting here.

Population: 150,115. Estimated population in July 2024: 152,916 (+1.9% change)
Males: 72,384 (48.2%), Females: 77,731 (51.8%)

Winnebago County

Zip codes: 61101, 61102, 61103, 61104, 61107, 61108, 61109, 61112, 61114.

Demographics

Median resident age: 34.4 years
Median household income: $37,667
Median house value: $79,900

Population by Race

Races in Rockford:

White Non-Hispanic (68.4%)
Black (17.4%)
Hispanic (10.2%)
Other race (4.8%)
Two or more races (2.5%)
Other Asian (0.9%)
American Indian (0.8%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: German (19.6%), Irish (11.2%), Swedish (9.8%), English (7.9%), Italian (7.0%), United States (4.2%).

Elevation: 740 feet

Land area: 56.0 square miles

Map of Rockford, IL

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Rockford

High school or higher: 77.8%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 19.8%
Graduate or professional degree: 7.1%
Unemployed: 7.3%
Mean travel time to work: 19.9 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Rockford city

Never married: 28.2%
Now married: 49.5%
Separated: 2.3%
Widowed: 7.3%
Divorced: 12.7%

8.7% Foreign born (4.9% Latin America, 1.9% Europe, 1.6% Asia).

Population change in the 1990s: +5,851 (+4.1%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Rockford:

H DOUGLAS SINGER MENTAL HLTH CTR (4402 N MAIN ST)
ROCKFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (2400 NORTH ROCKTON AVENUE)
SAINT ANTHONY MEDICAL CENTER (5666 EAST STATE STREET)
SWEDISH AMERICAN HOSPITAL (1400 CHARLES ST)
VAN MATRE HEALTHSOUTH (950 SO MULFORD ROAD)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Rockford:

GREATER ROCKFORD (about 7 miles; ROCKFORD, IL; Abbreviation: RFD)
ROCK CO (about 24 miles; JANESVILLE, WI; Abbreviation: JVL)
WHITESIDE CO ARPT-JOS H BITTORF FLD (about 56 miles; STERLING/ROCKFALLS, IL; Abbreviation: SQI)

Other public-use airports nearest to Rockford:

COTTONWOOD (about 5 miles; ROCKFORD, IL; Abbreviation: 1C8)
BELOIT (about 17 miles; BELOIT, WI; Abbreviation: 44C)
POPLAR GROVE (about 17 miles; POPLAR GROVE, IL; Abbreviation: C77)

Amtrak station:
ROCKFORD (7559 WALTON ST.) – Bus Station. Services: enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, paid short-term parking, paid long-term parking, call for taxi service.

Colleges/Universities in Rockford:

ROCK VALLEY COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 4,200; Location: 3301 N MULFORD RD; Public; Website: www.rvc.cc.il.us)
ROCKFORD COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 1,094; Location: 5050 E STATE ST; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.rockford.edu; Offers Master’s degree)
ROCKFORD BUSINESS COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 218; Location: 730 N CHURCH ST; Private, for-profit; Website: www.rbcsuccess.com)
SAINT ANTHONY COLLEGE OF NURSING (Full-time enrollment: 61; Location: 5658 E STATE ST; Private, not-for-profit)
EDUCATORS OF BEAUTY (Full-time enrollment: 59; Location: 128 S FIFTH ST; Private, for-profit)
SWEDISH AMERICAN HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF RADIOGRAPHY (Location: 1400 CHARLES ST; Private, not-for-profit)
SWEDISH AMERICAN HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF MEDICAL TECHN (Location: 1400 CHARLES ST; Private, not-for-profit)
SWEDISH AMERICAN HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF RADIATION THER (Location: 1400 CHARLES ST; Private, not-for-profit)
TAI TRAVEL ACADEMY (Location: 1100 S ALPINE RD; Private, for-profit)
ROCKFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF XRAY TECHN (Location: 2400 N ROCKTON AVE; Private, not-for-profit)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Rockford:

KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE (about 27 miles; MALTA, IL; Full-time enrollment: 2,289)
NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY (about 33 miles; DeKalb, IL; Full-time enrollment: 19,477)
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER (about 45 miles; WHITEWATER, WI; Full-time enrollment: 9,493)
MCHENRY COUNTY COLLEGE (about 53 miles; CRYSTAL LAKE, IL; Full-time enrollment: 2,707)
ELGIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 55 miles; ELGIN, IL; Full-time enrollment: 5,077)
WAUBONSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 55 miles; SUGAR GROVE, IL; Full-time enrollment: 3,834)
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON (about 61 miles; MADISON, WI; Full-time enrollment: 37,607)

Public high schools in Rockford:

GUILFORD HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,974; Location: 5620 SPRING CREEK RD; Grades: 09 – 12)
JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,807; Location: 4145 SAMUELSON RD; Grades: 09 – 12)
ROCKFORD EAST HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,804; Location: 2929 CHARLES ST; Grades: 09 – 12)
AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,665; Location: 5110 AUBURN ST; Grades: 09 – 12)
REGIONAL LEARNING CTR (Students: 72; Location: 410 8TH STREET; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high schools in Rockford:

BOYLAN CENTRAL CATHOLIC H S (Students: 1,347; Location: 4000 ST FRANCIS DRIVE; Grades: 9 – 12)
CHRISTIAN LIFE SCHOOLS (Students: 1,326; Location: 5950 SPRINGCREEK RD; Grades: PK – 12)
LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 679; Location: 3411 NORTH ALPINE ROAD; Grades: 6 – 12)
KEITH COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL (Students: 346; Location: 1 JACOBY PLACE; Grades: PK – 12)
FAITH ACADEMY (Students: 202; Location: 4000 PRAIRIE RD; Grades: KG – 12)
NORTH LOVE CHRISTIAN (Students: 161; Location: 5301 E RIVERSIDE BLVD; Grades: KG – 12)
ROCKFORD BAPTIST SCHOOLS (Students: 85; Location: 7007 FLORA ROAD; Grades: PK – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Rockford:

ROCKFORD ENVRNMNTL SCIENCE ACAD (Students: 1,255; Location: 1800 OGILBY RD; Grades: 06 – 08)
ABRAHAM LINCOLN MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 981; Location: 1500 CHARLES ST; Grades: 06 – 08)
BERNARD W FLINN MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 931; Location: 2525 OHIO PKY; Grades: 06 – 08)
EISENHOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 930; Location: 3525 SPRING CREEK RD; Grades: 06 – 08)
WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 858; Location: 1900 N ROCKTON AVE; Grades: 06 – 08)
ELLIS ARTS ACADEMY (Students: 726; Location: 222 S CENTRAL AVE; Grades: KG – 08)
KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 703; Location: 4664 N ROCKTON AVE; Grades: 06 – 08)
RIVERDAHL ELEM SCHOOL (Students: 633; Location: 3520 KISHWAUKEE ST; Grades: PK – 02)
ROCKFORD SCIENCE & TECH ACADEMY (Students: 601; Location: 520 N PIERPONT AVE; Grades: PK – 08)
BARBOUR TWO-WAY LANG IMMERSION (Students: 588; Location: 1506 CLOVER AVE; Grades: KG – 08)

Biggest private primary/middle schools in Rockford:

HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOL (Students: 577; Location: 4407 HIGHCREST ROAD; Grades: KG – 8)
LUTHER ACADEMY ELEM. SCHOOL (Students: 476; Location: 4700 AUGUSTANA DR.; Grades: KG – 6)
ST BERNADETTE ELEM SCHOOL (Students: 341; Location: 2300 NORTH BELL AVENUE; Grades: KG – 8)
ST RITA (Students: 313; Location: 6284 VALLEY KNOLL DRIVE; Grades: PK – 8)
ST PETER CATHEDRAL (Students: 301; Location: 1231 NORTH COURT ST; Grades: PK – 8)
ST EDWARD SCHOOL (Students: 279; Location: 3020 11TH ST; Grades: PK – 8)
RAINBOW ACADEMY (Students: 269; Location: 6413 FOREST HILLS RD; Grades: PK – 8)
ST JAMES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 266; Location: 409 NORTH FIRST STREET; Grades: PK – 8)
WEE CARE NURSERY (Students: 186; Location: 1421 E. STATE ST.; Grades: PK – KG)
SPECTRUM SCHOOL (Students: 178; Location: 2909 N MAIN ST; Grades: PK – UG)

Libraries

Library in Rockford:

ROCKFORD P.L. (Operating income: $5,745,970; Location: 215 NORTH WYMAN STREET; 581,794 books; 28,166 audio materials; 14,404 video materials; 930 serial subscriptions)