Cost of living in Rockford 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 Rockford is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Michigan, 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 Rockford is 100, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Rockford is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Rockford ranks as the #140 cheapest in Michigan out of 180.
Rockford ranks as the #2,621 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Rockford is $441,556.
The median income in Rockford is $100,156.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rockford has an overall cost of living index of 100, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Michigan, Rockford has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Michigan's index of 90.
The standard of living in Rockford ranks as #140 most affordable out of the 180 places we measured in Michigan. By definition, that implies Rockford ranks as the #40 most expensive place in the Wolverine State.
For more reading on life in Rockford, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Rockford. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Rockford is 90.
The Groceries index in Rockford is 94.
The Health index in Rockford is 93.
The Housing index in Rockford is 114.
The Transportation index in Rockford is 94.
The Utilities index in Rockford is 103.
| Living Expense | Rockford | Michigan | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 90 | 93 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 94 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 93 | 91 | 100 | |
| Housing | 114 | 72 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 96 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 103 | 99 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Michigan, 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 Rockford is $441,556.
The Median Rent in Rockford is $1,088.
The Median Income in Rockford is $100,156.
The Home Value To Income in Rockford is 4.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Rockford is 0.13x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Rockford. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Grand Rapids, MI has a cost of living index of 93, 0.9x Rockford.
Wyoming, MI has a cost of living index of 90, 0.9x Rockford.
Kentwood, MI has a cost of living index of 93, 0.9x Rockford.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids, MI | 197,768 | 93 | 0.9x |
| Wyoming, MI | 76,865 | 90 | 0.9x |
| Kentwood, MI | 54,114 | 93 | 0.9x |
| Forest Hills, MI | 28,494 | 118 | 1.2x |
| Walker, MI | 25,201 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Grandville, MI | 16,135 | 96 | 1.0x |
| Northview, MI | 15,225 | 94 | 0.9x |
| East Grand Rapids, MI | 11,394 | 123 | 1.2x |
| Comstock Park, MI | 10,306 | 91 | 0.9x |
| Belding, MI | 5,949 | 83 | 0.8x |