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Economy & jobs
Statistics · City
Labour force in Rockford
1990 – 2025 · 36 data points
5 of 101 · Towns of Illinois
Updated Oct 21, 2026
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1990 – 2025
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Overview
6 figures
People
18 figures
Economy
20 figures
Housing
8 figures
Education
10 figures
Tourism
3 figures
Climate
3 figures
Latest value · 2025
64,487
−2.2%
since 2024
Towns of Illinois · 2025
5 of 101
Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2015
−4.7%
−0.4% a year on average
share of Illinois
0.98%
Illinois: 6,587,613 · 2025
Labour force, 1990 – 2025 people
−4.7% since 2015
0
20K
40K
60K
80K
1990
2000
2005
2010
2015
2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1990 – 2025
Compared with Labour force · people
Rockford 64,487
Illinois 6.6M
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics
The series at a glance Rockford · 1990 – 2025
Latest value
64,487 · 2025
First value
75,286 · 1990
Highest
78,186 · 1997
Lowest
64,487 · 2025
Average change
−0.4% a year on average
Data points
36
By year
All years · 1990 – 2025
| Year | Rockford | Change | Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64,487 | −2.2% | 6.6M |
| 2024 | 65,920 | −0.3% | 6.6M |
| 2023 | 66,087 | −0.1% | 6.5M |
| 2022 | 66,149 | −1.9% | 6.5M |
| 2021 | 67,414 | −1.2% | 6.4M |
| 2020 | 68,227 | −2.7% | 6.3M |
| 2019 | 70,107 | −1.4% | 6.5M |
| 2018 | 71,091 | +1.6% | 6.6M |
| 2017 | 69,969 | −1.6% | 6.6M |
| 2016 | 71,132 | +5.1% | 6.6M |
| 2015 | 67,654 | −0.0% | 6.6M |
| 2014 | 67,685 | −1.1% | 6.6M |
| 2013 | 68,437 | −1.7% | 6.6M |
| 2012 | 69,624 | −1.7% | 6.6M |
| 2011 | 70,798 | −1.7% | 6.6M |
| 2010 | 71,996 | +0.4% | 6.6M |
| 2009 | 71,688 | −1.7% | 6.6M |
| 2008 | 72,925 | −0.3% | 6.6M |
| 2007 | 73,170 | +2.5% | 6.6M |
| 2006 | 71,409 | +1.4% | 6.5M |
| 2005 | 70,439 | +0.1% | 6.4M |
| 2004 | 70,338 | −0.5% | 6.3M |
| 2003 | 70,707 | −0.4% | 6.3M |
| 2002 | 70,962 | −2.6% | 6.3M |
| 2001 | 72,821 | −2.4% | 6.4M |
| 2000 | 74,599 | −3.5% | 6.5M |
| 1999 | 77,331 | −0.4% | 6.5M |
| 1998 | 77,660 | −0.7% | 6.3M |
| 1997 | 78,186 | +1.3% | 6.3M |
| 1996 | 77,179 | +1.2% | 6.2M |
| 1995 | 76,301 | +0.5% | 6.2M |
| 1994 | 75,885 | −1.3% | 6.1M |
| 1993 | 76,921 | +0.2% | 6.1M |
| 1992 | 76,802 | +1.2% | 6M |
| 1991 | 75,894 | +0.8% | 5.9M |
| 1990 | 75,286 | 5.9M |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1990 – 2025
Ranking · Towns of Illinois
2024 · Place 1 is the highest value.
| # | Territory | Labour force | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | 1.5M | |
| 2 | Aurora | 98,405 | |
| 3 | Naperville | 83,377 | |
| 4 | Joliet | 82,096 | |
| 5 | Rockford | 65,920 | |
| 6 | Elgin | 60,152 | |
| 7 | Springfield | 55,008 | |
| 8 | Peoria | 52,731 | |
| 9 | Champaign | 47,601 | |
| 10 | Waukegan | 46,070 | |
| 11 | Bloomington | 44,577 | |
| 12 | Bolingbrook | 43,378 | |
| 13 | Schaumburg | 42,872 | |
| 14 | Cicero | 41,812 | |
| 15 | Arlington Heights | 41,364 | |
| 16 | Evanston | 40,225 | |
| 17 | Palatine | 38,848 | |
| 18 | Skokie | 33,327 | |
| 19 | Des Plaines | 32,481 | |
| 20 | Berwyn | 30,668 | |
| 21 | Tinley Park | 29,953 | |
| 22 | Orland Park | 29,944 | |
| 23 | Normal | 29,917 | |
| 24 | Oak Park | 29,748 | |
| 25 | Decatur | 29,563 | |
| … |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2024
What it means
Residents who work or are looking for work.
How it is calculated
Employed plus unemployed residents, annual average.
Economy & jobs
Rockford in numbers
GDP per person
$90,330
2024 · Illinois
GDP per person (PPP)
$90,330
2024 · Illinois
Gross domestic product
$29T
2024 · United States
Economic growth
2.8%
2024 · United States
Inflation
2.9%
2024 · United States
Unemployment rate
6.1%
2025
Unemployment rate, latest month
5.3%
Aug 2026
Youth unemployment
9.3%
2025 · United States
Employment rate
71.9%
2024 · Illinois
Labour force participation
63.5%
2024 · United States
Household income per person
$64,962
2024 · Illinois
Median household income
$80,734
2024 · United States