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Living in
Belvidere.
About
Life in Belvidere
Belvidere is a manufacturing city east of Rockford, home to a large Stellantis assembly plant, and factory work still defines it: manufacturing employs about 26% of working residents. Housing is very affordable, with a median home value of $158,900, about 52% below the national median, though Zillow's estimate has jumped about 41% over five years. Rent averages $991 a month, and about 71% of households own.
Belvidere at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.6%
Foreign-Born
15.6%
Broadband Internet
89.2%
of households
Population Growth
+0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics15.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Belvidere: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Belvidere, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (85.1%), and 25.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.3%
of residents
65 and Older
16.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.8%
of households
Married Couples
38.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.56
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 22% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Belvidere
In Belvidere, rent runs 22% below the IL average, and home values are 40% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,466
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
70.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1976
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $262,225 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.3 pts above IL average
Unemployment in Belvidere
Unemployment in Belvidere is 1.3 percentage points higher than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Belvidere Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.3 min avg
How Belvidere residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Belvidere, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 64% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 mi
Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD)
Regional airport · few flights146k passengers boarded in 2025
- 52 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 58% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Belvidere runs 58% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
138.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
477.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Belvidere Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 18 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
57.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Boone County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Boone County, which includes Belvidere, the most common type is winter weather, with 18 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 14 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2023 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 25 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 21 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 8 | Hail | None reported |
| 2019 | 12 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2018 | 7 | Winter Storm | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Boone County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Winnebago County, IL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 16 miles from Belvidere) is typically good — 244 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
244
per year
Moderate Days
105
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Winnebago County, IL (16 mi away)
Climate82°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Belvidere has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
32°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.1"
Annual Snowfall
32.6"
Hot Days/Year
15
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
136
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
120
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 15°F | 1.60" |
| Feb | 33°F | 18°F | 1.63" |
| Mar | 47°F | 28°F | 2.40" |
| Apr | 60°F | 39°F | 3.75" |
| May | 71°F | 50°F | 4.18" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 5.23" |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 3.81" |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 4.19" |
| Sep | 75°F | 54°F | 3.62" |
| Oct | 62°F | 42°F | 2.63" |
| Nov | 47°F | 31°F | 2.27" |
| Dec | 34°F | 20°F | 1.93" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Belvidere
Uninsured
7.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Belvidere's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Saint Anthony Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Rockford
Uw Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.6 mi away · Rockford
Javon Bea Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.2 mi away · Rockford
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Belvidere
Belvidere's student/teacher ratio is 13.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 12.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
12.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Belvidere (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 4,359 students · in-state tuition $4,324 · 33% graduate · median earnings $44,656 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 1,145 students · in-state tuition $15,414 · 43% graduate · median earnings $47,524 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 972 students · in-state tuition $39,640 · 58% graduate · median earnings $58,999 (10 yrs after entry)
Saint Anthony College of Nursing
7.5 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 172 students · in-state tuition $28,648 · 83% graduate · median earnings $85,334 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 75 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Belvidere
Belvidere has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (75 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
75 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Belvidere
Ida Public Library
320 North State Street, Belvidere
Cities Near Belvidere
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Belvidere?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Belvidere FAQ
Is Belvidere, Illinois affordable?⌄
Belvidere's median rent is $991/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $64,528/year. Median home value is $158,900.
Is Belvidere, Illinois safe?⌄
Belvidere's violent crime rate was 138 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 478 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Belvidere, Illinois?⌄
Belvidere has an unemployment rate of 5.9%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Belvidere, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Belvidere is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $991/month and median household income is $64,528/year. The median home value is $158,900. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Belvidere, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Belvidere is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from