RANK #219 / 1001 NAT · #13 / 28 IL · POP 142,757
1YR FORECAST: +2.4%
5YR OUTLOOK: +21%
Rock Island County, Illinois, stands out for the historic Rock Island Arsenal, a significant government-owned weapons manufacturing facility located on an island in the Mississippi River. This area, part of the larger Quad Cities metropolitan area, sits approximately 140 miles west of Chicago, on the Illinois/Iowa border. The community offers a blend of urban and natural settings, with the Mississippi and Rock Rivers providing scenic views and opportunities for outdoor recreation like boating, fishing, and extensive bike trails. Commutes within the Quad Cities are generally short, often around ten minutes.
Life in Rock Island County offers a relaxed pace with a lower cost of living compared to national averages, making homeownership accessible. The area attracts families and young professionals, with public schools generally performing above average. Major institutions like the Rock Island Arsenal and Augustana College contribute to the local economy and provide employment. Recent economic development initiatives focus on revitalizing former industrial areas through incentives for redevelopment projects, particularly along the riverfront. The region is seeing investment in sectors like advanced manufacturing and logistics, leveraging its central location and river transportation access.
Rock Island County is one of 145 U.S. counties in this market profile — near the profile average on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +4.7% matches the profile's typical +4.9%.
See all 145 Heartland Steady Growth counties →Below national median (11.3x)
Below-average climate & terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing is fairly valued at 4.3x relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Rock Island County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Sandpiper Solar Project & Battery Energy Storage System
Sandpiper Solar Project, LLC (subsidiary of CleanGen, Inc.)
|
$256M | Planned |
|
Upper Rock Island County Landfill Renewable Natural Gas Facility
Ameresco & Republic Services, Inc.
|
$50M | Operating |
|
Rock Island Port District Master Plan Development
City of Rock Island
|
$50M | Proposed |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 78/100, Rock Island County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. and median household income stands at $67,159 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in IL.
By national standards, Rock Island County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $150,400, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.45 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $889/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Rock Island County's job market is contracting (-1.4% YoY) while population is roughly stable (-0.2% change). Home values are +4.7% over the past 12 months. Hiring headwinds without an offsetting exodus — residents are staying, but local employers are shedding payroll.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.6% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Rock Island County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.