Convert your annual salary to hourly, daily, weekly, biweekly, and monthly pay in Rockford, and compare it to the local minimum wage and MIT living wage for 2026.
Last updated: May 2026 · Data: MIT Living Wage Calculator, C2ER, U.S. Census, BLS, IRS, state and city sources
Rockford minimum wage: $15.00/hour | Living wage: $18.50/hour
Median household income in Rockford is about $52,000. The applicable minimum wage is $15.00/hour, and the MIT living wage for a single adult is about $18.50/hour. Use the comparisons below to see where a given salary lands.
| Pay Benchmark (Rockford) | Hourly | Annual (full-time) |
|---|---|---|
| Applicable minimum wage | $15.00 | $31,200 |
| MIT living wage (single adult) | $18.50 | $38,480 |
| Median household income | $25.00 | $52,000 |
| Standard full-time hours | - | 2,080 hours/year |
Rockford is the largest city in Illinois outside the Chicago metro, with an economy built on aerospace manufacturing (Collins Aerospace and Woodward), machine tools, automotive parts, and healthcare, drawing on its history as a fastener and tool capital.
| Local Metric | Rockford (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Metro population | 145,000 |
| County / jurisdiction | Winnebago County |
| Cost of living index (US avg = 100) | 91 |
| MIT living wage, single adult | $18.50/hour |
| MIT living wage, one earner supporting a family of four | $39.00/hour |
| Applicable minimum wage | $15.00/hour |
| Average rent, 1-bedroom | $950/month |
| Average rent, 2-bedroom | $1,200/month |
| Median home price | $165,000 |
| Median household income | $52,000/year |
| Combined sales tax rate | 8.75% |
| Effective property tax rate | 2.6% of value/year |
Local figures are 2026 estimates compiled from the MIT Living Wage Calculator, the C2ER Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census and Zillow housing data, and city and county sources. Verify current figures before relying on them.
Divide your annual salary by your total work hours per year (40 hours/week times 52 weeks is 2,080 hours). For example, a $52,000 salary in Rockford is about $25.00/hour at full time.
Median household income in Rockford is around $52,000. Because the cost-of-living index is 91 (US average = 100) and average 1-bedroom rent is $950/month, what counts as comfortable depends heavily on housing costs.
The applicable minimum wage in Rockford is $15.00/hour, which is about $31,200/year at full time. Rockford follows the Illinois statewide minimum wage, which reached $15.00/hour in 2025. The city sits outside Cook County, so the higher Cook County and Chicago rates do not apply.
The MIT Living Wage Calculator estimates a single adult in Winnebago County needs about $18.50/hour, roughly $38,480/year, to cover basic costs without assistance.
At full time, $52,000/year is about $25.00/hour, $4,333/month gross, and $2,000 per biweekly paycheck before taxes.