Las Vegas NV vs Rockford IL — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Las Vegas, NV

Nevada · Population: 650,873

  • Median HH Income$70,723
  • Median Home Price$426,069
  • Unemployment7.2%
  • Bachelor's+27.3%

Rockford, IL

Illinois · Population: 147,649

  • Median HH Income$53,328
  • Median Home Price$180,220
  • Unemployment8.6%
  • Bachelor's+23.2%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Las Vegas
650,873
Las Vegas +
Rockford
147,649
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Las Vegas
N/A
Rockford
N/A
Median Age
Las Vegas
38.5
Rockford
37.5
Rockford +
Foreign Born
Las Vegas
20.9%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
12.3%
White
Las Vegas
49.2%
Rockford
55.5%
Rockford +
Black
Las Vegas
11.9%
Rockford
21.8%
Rockford +
Asian
Las Vegas
6.9%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
3.7%
Hispanic
Las Vegas
34.1%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
20.6%
Spanish at Home
Las Vegas
N/A
Rockford
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Las Vegas
$70,723
Las Vegas +
Rockford
$53,328
Per Capita Income
Las Vegas
$38,421
Las Vegas +
Rockford
$30,409
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Las Vegas
$62,696
Rockford
$68,110
Rockford +
Unemployment Rate
Las Vegas
7.2%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
8.6%
Poverty Rate
Las Vegas
14.2%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
21.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
Las Vegas
27.3%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
23.2%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Las Vegas
$426,069
Rockford
$180,220
Rockford +
Homeownership Rate
Las Vegas
55.7%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
53.8%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Las Vegas
460
Rockford
344
Rockford +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Las Vegas
2417
Rockford
1842
Rockford +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Las Vegas
32.4%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
44.7%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Las Vegas
12.5%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
15.4%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Las Vegas
19.5%
Rockford
19.0%
Rockford +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Las Vegas
17.0%
Rockford
14.0%
Rockford +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Las Vegas
15.4%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
15.5%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Las Vegas
15.6%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
18.1%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Las Vegas
67.4°F
Rockford
49.2°F
Rockford +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Las Vegas
5.1 in
Las Vegas +
Rockford
36.2 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Las Vegas
5.2 µg/m³
Las Vegas +
Rockford
9.4 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Las Vegas
75.0%
Las Vegas +
Rockford
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Las Vegas
27.7 min
Rockford
22.7 min
Rockford +

Which City is Right for You?

Las Vegas leads in median household income at $70,723, while rockford offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $180,220. On public safety, Rockford is safer with a violent crime rate of 344 per 100,000 residents, compared to 460 in Las Vegas. Las Vegas has a lower unemployment rate at 7.2%, and Las Vegas has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 5.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Las Vegas scores better with a lower obesity rate of 32.4%.

Compare More Cities

About Las Vegas & Rockford