Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Rockford, IL has a Safety Score of 12/100 — higher crime than 88% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,598.6 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,609 of 2,957 US cities and #175 of 183 in Illinois.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Rockford, IL?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Rockford, Illinois Safe?
Rockford, once known as "Forest City," sits on the Rock River in northern Illinois. Its manufacturing history shaped a blue-collar community of just under 150,000 residents.
Rockford has a safety score of 12/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,598.6 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Rockford ranks #175 out of 183 cities in Illinois and #2609 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 12th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 88% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Rockford is aggravated assault, at 890.7 per 100K — 2.7x the national average.
Year over year, Rockford's total crime rate decreased by 6.4%, with violent crime declining 5.9%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Rockford Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 1,571 | 1,081.4 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 19 | 13.1 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 101 | 69.5 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 155 | 106.7 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1,294 | 890.7 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 3,657 | 2,517.2 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 919 | 632.6 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 2,099 | 1,444.8 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 639 | 439.8 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Rockford vs Illinois Average
How does Rockford's crime rate compare to the Illinois state average?
| Metric | Rockford | Illinois Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 1,081.4 | 356.9 | +203.0% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,517.2 | 2,129.2 | +18.2% |
| Murder Rate | 13.1 | 7.9 | +66.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,598.6 | 2,486.1 | +44.7% |
Rockford Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Rockford, Illinois.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 145,280 | 3,598.6 | 1,081.4 | 2,517.2 |
| 2023 | 145,873 | 3,843.8 | 1,149.6 | 2,694.1 |
| 2022 | 146,710 | 4,086.3 | 1,438.9 | 2,647.4 |
| 2021 | 144,027 | 4,099.9 | 1,544.9 | 2,555.1 |
| 2020 | 144,795 | 4,313.7 | 1,459.3 | 2,854.4 |
| 2019 | 145,719 | 4,501.8 | 1,174.9 | 3,327.0 |
Rockford Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Rockford and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Illinois crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rockford, Illinois safe?
Rockford has a safety score of 12/100, meaning it has less crime than about 12% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,598.6 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Rockford is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Rockford, Illinois?
According to FBI data for 2024, Rockford has a violent crime rate of 1,081.4 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,517.2 per 100,000 residents.
How does Rockford compare to the national average?
Rockford's total crime rate of 3,598.6 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 145,280 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Rockford?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Rockford are larceny-theft (2,099 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (1,294 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 2.3x in the city.
Is Rockford safe to visit?
Like any city, Rockford has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 12/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.