© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Illinois
Sterling
Population 14,717
© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Illinois
Rockford
Population 147,521
Sterling, IL vs Rockford, IL
Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.
| Metric | Sterling, IL | Rockford, IL |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,717 | 147,521 |
| Median Household Income | $57,350 | $54,752 |
| Median Rent | $859/mo | $985/mo |
| Median Home Value | $108,700 | $129,000 |
| Cost of Living (US = 100) | — | 92 |
| Renters Paying 30%+ of Income | 42.4% | 50.6% |
| Poverty Rate | 15.3% | 21.3% |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6% (county) | 6.1% |
| Violent Crime Rate /100k | 256 | 900 |
| Property Crime Rate /100k | 1,148 | 2,531 |
| Median AQI | — | 40 |
| Good AQI Days /yr | — | 244 |
| Summer Highs | 81°F | 82°F |
| Winter Lows | 17°F | 18°F |
| Snowfall | 29 in/yr | 37 in/yr |
| Avg Commute | 18.1 min | 21.9 min |
| Hospitals | 1 | 3 |
| Avg Hospital Rating | 1.0 / 5 | 2.7 / 5 |
| Students per Teacher | 16.2 | 17.4 |
| College Degree Rate | 21.1% | 23.5% |
| Foreign-Born % | 5.4% | 12.6% |
| Population Growth (2020–2025) | -3.2% | -1.1% |
Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.