Side-by-side comparison of Rockford, IL and Chicago, IL — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Rockford has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.69% compared to Chicago's 3.03%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $135,000 in Rockford vs $310,000 in Chicago, while rents come in at $920/mo and $1,620/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Chicago is growing faster at 0.1% annually, while Rockford is losing population. Chicago leads on home value appreciation at 2.4% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 2.12% in Rockford vs 2.08% in Chicago. Vacancy rates of 7% and 5.8% are mixed — Chicago has the tighter rental market.
Bottom line: Chicago edges out Rockford on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.03%, Chicago's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Rockford or Chicago.