Residential comparison · 13 facts
Aurora, IL vs Rockford, IL
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Aurora needs about $76,500 in Rockford to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Rockford, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $93,500 in Aurora.
A few differences
- Aurora is higher on median household income ($93,633 vs $54,752).
- Rockford is lower on cost of living index (80 vs 97).
- Rockford is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,004/mo vs $1,608/mo).
Aurora vs Rockford · facet by facet
| Facet | Aurora, IL | Rockford, IL |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $274,800 | $129,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,608/mo | $1,004/mo |
| Property tax rate | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| State & local income tax | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| Sales tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Cost of living index | 97 | 80 |
| Groceries index | 98 | 98 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $93,633 | $54,752 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Crime index | 50/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 6.3/10 | 6.3/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days | 190 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Aurora, IL · Rockford, IL
Questions & answers
- Is Aurora cheaper than Rockford?
- Rockford has the lower day-to-day cost index (80 vs 97 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Rockford equals $85,000 in Aurora?
- A household earning $85,000 in Aurora needs about $76,500 in Rockford to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Rockford lifestyle costs about $93,500 in Aurora.