The Town FilesRockford, Ohio
Village in Mercer County · population 1,051 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $135,400
- Household income
- $57,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 22 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 38.4
Rockford is a village of 1,051 people in Mercer County, Ohio. The median home is worth $135,400, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Ohio towns, quieter than 97% of Ohio towns, better for retirees than 91% of Ohio towns.
How Rockford ranks
Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rockford is worth $135,400, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $57,833, which is more affordable than 74% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $805 a month. 71.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rockford | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $135,400 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $805 | $914 |
| Median household income | $57,833 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 71.1% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rockford
| People | Rockford | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.0% | 90.9% |
Weather in Rockford
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 18.7°F. About 39.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 22.1 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockford since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on November 10, 2002 about 8.8 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 96 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 10, 2017.
Severe weather in Mercer County since 1996
Mercer County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4777: Tornadoes |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| June 18, 2019 | Tornado | DR-4447: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslide |
| June 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3346: Severe Storms |
Jobs and pay in Mercer County
Mercer County had 20,581 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,671 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Rockford itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Rockford
4 public schools with 1,000 students, about 18.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parkway Elementary School | PK-4 | 408 | 19.4 |
| Parkway Middle School | 5-8 | 294 | 21.0 |
| Parkway High School | 9-12 | 286 | 15.9 |
| Mercer County Head Start | PK-PK | 12 | — |
Towns near Rockford
- Ohio City, OH5.8 mi · 651 people · home $98,900
- Mendon, OH7.0 mi · 628 people · home $100,000
- Celina, OH10.5 mi · 10,935 people · home $164,100
- Van Wert, OH12.4 mi · 11,092 people · home $123,900
- Coldwater, OH14.4 mi · 4,774 people · home $232,200
- Middle Point, OH15.6 mi · 566 people · home $90,300
- Spencerville, OH15.6 mi · 2,198 people · home $137,100
- Monroe, IN15.7 mi · 885 people · home $164,400
Rockford questions
Is Rockford, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rockford scores better for retirees than 91% of Ohio towns and quieter than 97%. 20.6% 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 $135,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,833, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $805 a month.
What is the weather like in Rockford?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 18.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.8 inches of precipitation a year and 22.1 inches of snow.
Does Rockford get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rockford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on November 10, 2002. The typical Ohio town has had 16.
- 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)