Side-by-side comparison of Rockford, IL and Aurora, IL — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Rockford has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.69% compared to Aurora's 3.01%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $135,000 in Rockford vs $275,000 in Aurora, while rents come in at $920/mo and $1,420/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Aurora is growing faster at 0.3% annually, while Rockford is losing population. Aurora leads on home value appreciation at 2.3% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 2.12% in Rockford vs 2.05% in Aurora. Vacancy rates of 7% and 5.5% are mixed — Aurora has the tighter rental market.
Bottom line: Aurora edges out Rockford on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.01%, Aurora's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Rockford or Aurora.