Rockford, Illinois

Rockford, Illinois

Introduction to Rockford, Illinois

Rockford is a city located in northern Illinois about 85 miles northwest of Chicago. Sitting on the banks of the Rock River, Rockford serves as the county seat of Winnebago County and is one of the state's largest cities. Located at the intersection of Interstates I-39, I-90, and U.S. Route 20, Rockford is serviced by Chicago/Rockford International Airport (formerly known as the Greater Rockford Airport). The city is home to Rockford College, as well as Judson College, Rock Valley College, and a satellite campus of Northern Illinois University. Nicknamed the Forest City, Rockford has been long known for its abundance of elm trees.

Founded in 1834 by Germanicus Kent, Rockford was originally known as the village of Midway due to its location midway between Chicago and Kent's hometown of Galena. In 1837 the community's name was officially changed to Rock Ford and in 1852 Rockford was incorporated as a city. The arrival of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad was an early catalyst for the region's economic growth, which continued for several decades. By the turn of the century, Rockford was recognized as a significant industrial and manufacturing center and home to many nationally known manufacturers. Although the city's industry took a major hit during the decades following World War II, the economy in recent years has rebounded, and today features an abundance of professional and business services, making the city a thriving commercial center as well as a cultural and entertainment hub.

Rockford Art, Culture and Entertainment

Rockford is home to several museums and performing arts venues and its surrounding area is known as an outdoor destination. The Burpee Museum of Natural History chronicles animals, rocks and minerals, fossils, and native peoples with exhibits in a facility connected to Riverfront Museum Park. The Discovery Center Museum features a planetarium and both permanent and traveling exhibits. The Erlander Home Museum is the cultural centerpiece of the city's Swedish-ancestry community, and the Ethnic Heritage Museum relates the history of the six ethnic groups that settled in early Rockford (Irish, Italians, African-Americans, Polish, Lithuanians, and Hispanics). The Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center presents an annual concert series by local and world-renowned artists, and the New American Theater is a regional professional theater which offers an annual season of productions including a Christmas performance. The Rock River, which runs through the heart of Rockford, provides a continuous source of recreation for the Rockford community, including a bike path spanning several miles and water sports such as boating, canoeing, fishing and water skiing. "On the Waterfront" is the name of Illinois' largest music festival. This nationally acclaimed event encompasses over 30 blocks of downtown Rockford each Labor Day weekend, bringing together food, fun, and music to satisfy everyone's tastes.

Sports fans have many choices in Rockford. The Rockford Riverhawks are an independent minor league baseball team competing in the Frontier League. The Riverhawks carry the banner for the city's storied baseball history, which includes a team (the Forest Citys) established soon after the Civil War and the Rockford Peaches, a 1940s team playing in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Other former pro baseball franchises playing in Rockford include the Expos, Royals, Cubbies, and Reds. Hockey fans can root for the Rockford Icehogs, a member of the United Hockey League, who play at the city's MetroCentre. Also playing at the MetroCentre are the Rock River Raptors, a professional indoor football team playing in the United Indoor Football (UIF) league. Ironically, Rockford was the site of the first-ever Arena Football game when the Rockford Metros played a "playtest game" in 1986. Another Rockford present-day sports team is the Rockford Thunder, an indoor soccer team, which belongs to the American Indoor Soccer League (AISL).

High Points

Rockford strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Illinois):

Category	Trophy
Racial Diversity (vs. State)	Top 4%
Affordability of Rents (vs. Peers)	Top 16%
Short Commute Times (vs. Peers)	Top 18%

Comparative Profile of Rockford, IL

Comparing Rockford to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Illinois (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Senior Citizens
Age of the Population
Female Share of the Population
Children Under 5 Years Old
Racial Diversity
Well-Paid Single Men
Well-Paid Single Women
Male Share of the Population

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Portion of People Married
Average Household Size

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty
Median Family Income
College Educated Adults

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Short Commute Times
Walking and Biking to Work
Working at Home
Public Transportation Use

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Affordability of Rents
People Living Alone
Housing Recently Built
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Affordability of Property Taxes

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Property Crime

Rockford Almanac

Rockford Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Rockford Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Political Contributions (2004)

Money donated by Rockford residents to parties and candidates for the 2004 elections.

by Political Party

by Presidential Candidate

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Rockford, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Rockford Hospitals

ROCKFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
(Voluntary non-profit - Private)
2400 NORTH ROCKTON AVENUE
(815) 968-6861
Emergency Service: Yes

SWEDISH AMERICAN HOSPITAL
(Voluntary non-profit - Other)
1401 EAST STATE STREET
(815) 968-4400
Emergency Service: Yes

SAINT ANTHONY MEDICAL CENTER
(Voluntary non-profit - Church)
5666 EAST STATE STREET
(815) 226-2000
Emergency Service: Yes

Starbucks in Rockford

Wal-Mart in Rockford

Rockford High Schools (2004)

GUILFORD HIGH SCHOOL
5620 SPRING CREEK RD
815-654-4870
Serves 1,974 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 20.4

JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL
4145 SAMUELSON RD
815-874-9536
Serves 1,807 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 19.6

ROCKFORD EAST HIGH SCHOOL
2929 CHARLES ST
815-229-2100
Serves 1,804 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 18.8

AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL
5110 AUBURN ST
815-966-3300
Serves 1,665 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 19.7

ROOSEVELT CENTER
978 HASKELL AVE
815-966-3265
A Special Education School
Serves 329 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 12.2

PAGE PARK
5949 SAFFORD RD
815-966-3770
A Special Education School
Serves 86 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 5.7

REGIONAL LEARNING CTR
410 8TH STREET
815-316-8450
A Non-traditional School
Serves 72 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 10

SKYVIEW CENTER
3051 ROTARY RD
815-874-9574
A Special Education School
Serves 66 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 6.6

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