Cost of living in Rock Island research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Rock Island is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Rock Island is 88, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Rock Island is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Rock Island ranks as the #70 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
Rock Island ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Rock Island is $127,996.
The median income in Rock Island is $57,292.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rock Island has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Rock Island has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Illinois's index of 97.
The standard of living in Rock Island ranks as #70 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Rock Island ranks as the #266 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Rock Island, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Rock Island. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Rock Island is 102.
The Groceries index in Rock Island is 97.
The Health index in Rock Island is 94.
The Housing index in Rock Island is 63.
The Transportation index in Rock Island is 103.
The Utilities index in Rock Island is 88.
| Living Expense | Rock Island | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 88 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 102 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 97 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 94 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 63 | 95 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 103 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 88 | 91 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Rock Island is $127,996.
The Median Rent in Rock Island is $819.
The Median Income in Rock Island is $57,292.
The Home Value To Income in Rock Island is 2.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Rock Island is 0.17x.
| Statistic | Rock Island | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $127,996 | $283,508 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $819 | $1,227 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $57,292 | $81,702 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 2.2x | 3.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Rock Island | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.3 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.85 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $18.5 | $18 |
| Haircut | $27.83 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $46.89 | $45.56 |
| Item | Rock Island | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.67 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.35 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.63 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.73 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.86 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.82 | $3.7 |
| Item | Rock Island | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $134.2 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $140.02 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $93.33 | $113.29 |
| Item | Rock Island | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.37 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $72.71 | $59.92 |
| Item | Rock Island | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $153.7 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.06 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Rock Island. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Davenport, IA has a cost of living index of 93, 1.1x Rock Island.
Moline, IL has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Rock Island.
Bettendorf, IA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.2x Rock Island.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Rock Island |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport, IA | 101,083 | 93 | 1.1x |
| Moline, IL | 42,235 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Bettendorf, IA | 39,297 | 102 | 1.2x |
| East Moline, IL | 20,837 | 87 | 1.0x |
| Silvis, IL | 7,939 | 93 | 1.1x |
| Eldridge, IA | 6,743 | 105 | 1.2x |
| Colona, IL | 5,189 | 93 | 1.1x |
| Milan, IL | 5,037 | 92 | 1.0x |