Do You Think Rockford Is A Suburb Or A City? (Chicago: home, taxes)

[chitown85]

Rockford is actually smaller than Aurora, Naperville, and Joliet, (and soon to be Elgin).

Just because Rockford has over 100K people, it is not too big to a suburb. In Dallas for example, several of the suburbs (Grand Prairie, Arlington) have hundreds of thousands of people.

A suburb only means a municipality connected to a larger one that is a regional center that is identified as such by the US Census.

If Schaumburg was in the middle of Idaho, it would be considered a regional center that would have its own suburbs.

Rockford used to be its own city, but there are more and more people that commute into Chicagoland from Rockford, especially in NW Cook and W Lake County.

[Jons99]

Not a suburb, but part of the Chicagoland region, think the same thing about Kankakee County.

[SJaye]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Anything is possible. This has actually been proposed, so I'm sure there's a way. I have no idea if there is an existing right-of-way or not.

I was under the impression that if METRA were to be extended into Rockford, it would be done via the Elgin, or Milwaukee- District West Line rather than the Harvard, Union Pacific Northwest Line. I think the tracks that that line follows actually head for Janesville, WI.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by SJaye

I was under the impression that if METRA were to be extended into Rockford, it would be done via the Elgin, or Milwaukee- District West Line rather than the Harvard, Union Pacific Northwest Line. I think the tracks that that line follows actually head for Janesville, WI.

Could be. I now see your point.

[chet everett]

Rockford controls it own fate in so many ways it is much an independent city than a suburb. The employment base is still very much rooted in manufacturing and together with its airport it is far more likely to be able to weather different ups and down that Chicago and the suburbs.

Politically is congressional representative, Don Manuzullo, represents the whole north west corner of IL, but really draws little attention for the issues of Crystal Lake, which is pretty much the biggest 'true suburb' in his domain. Winnebago Co, of which Rockford is the County Seat is NOT considered by anyone to be a collar county, it is "downstate". Winnebago County, Illinois

It ain't part of NIMLS either, it is in coop with Boone and Ogle Co, and those are all agricultural.
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[pw72]

I agree with most here, Rockford is its own city. I lived in Crystal Lake, which is actually closer to Rockford than Chicago, but Crystal Lake is a suburb of Chicago. Most of what is west of this area is farmland, although that line is creeping west.

[yourpalincal]

Rockford is a BIG CITY and not a suburb.

[Chicago60614]

Rockford is by all means its own city. It might have benifits of being fairly close to Chicago, but the city grew on its own and has control over its future.

Chicago is creeping closer though, and Rockford's growth is mostly to the east. I would think within a few decades the areas might merge.

[pw72]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

Rockford is by all means its own city. It might have benifits of being fairly close to Chicago, but the city grew on its own and has control over its future.

Chicago is creeping closer though, and Rockford's growth is mostly to the east. I would think within a few decades the areas might merge.

What is interesting is Elgin was much like Rockford at one time, it's own city, but now is almost completely surrounded by Chicagoland suburbia.

[sgresident]

rockford is a city. elgin is a city. It just happens to be a suburb of a larger city. Aurora and springfield are also cities. Aurora is also a suburb.