The Town FilesRockford, Minnesota
City in Wright County · population 4,500 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $329,200
- Household income
- $94,162
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 45 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 38.4
Rockford is a city of 4,500 people in Wright County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $329,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Minnesota towns, more upscale than 85% of Minnesota towns.
How Rockford ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rockford is worth $329,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $94,162, which is more affordable than 45% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,046 a month. 79.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rockford | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $329,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,046 | $991 |
| Median household income | $94,162 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 79.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rockford
| People | Rockford | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.0% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Rockford
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 2.7°F. About 31.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockford since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 6, 1965 about 8.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 99 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 29, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 103 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on August 5, 2019.
Severe weather in Wright County since 1996
Wright County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 19, 2010 | Flood | EM-3310: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Wright County
Wright County had 48,758 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,999 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Rockford itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Rockford
3 public schools with 1,564 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford Elementary Arts Magnet | PK-4 | 589 | 13.1 |
| ROCKFORD SECONDARY | 9-12 | 512 | 19.0 |
| ROCKFORD MIDDLE | 5-8 | 463 | 17.1 |
Towns near Rockford
- Greenfield, MN2.7 mi · 2,903 people · home $567,700
- Rockford, MN3.6 mi · 3,371 people · home $404,900
- Delano, MN4.3 mi · 6,484 people · home $375,200
- Independence, MN5.1 mi · 3,755 people · home $663,400
- Hanover, MN6.1 mi · 3,548 people · home $447,900
- Franklin, MN6.4 mi · 2,885 people · home $637,800
- St. Michael, MN8.0 mi · 18,235 people · home $390,100
- Corcoran, MN8.2 mi · 6,185 people · home $569,400
Rockford questions
Is Rockford, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rockford scores better for retirees than 50% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 17%. 14.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Rockford?
The median owner-occupied home in Rockford is valued at $329,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $94,162, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,046 a month.
What is the weather like in Rockford?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 2.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.7 inches of precipitation a year and 45.1 inches of snow.
Does Rockford get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 6, 1965. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)