Do You Think Rockford Is A Suburb Or A City? (Chicago: living in, vs.)

[UrbanQuest]

Not yet. I don't see any reason why it would be joined with Chicago. There really is no reason for anyone from Chicagoland to move there. Even the suburbs around Rockford aren't that great, compared to Huntley, Marengo or Woodstock. Why travel farther. It's not like it get's less diverse. It's actually the opposite. If anything LaSalle county, IL and Walworth county, WI will be the next additions to Chicagoland. That may be it because the distance threshold has been pretty much reached in most metropolitan areas. People are starting to move towards the city and not away from it. The home prices in the exurbs are the one's get the biggest beat-down right now.

[Chicagoland60426]

Rockford have just as much independence as Peoria, IL. Its not a suburb of Chicago and I hope it won't be anytime soon. That is almost a 2 hour commute and it will be silly to travel that far. Chicago already have about 300 suburbs.

[04JETTA]

I would say no its a seperate town for now but a future suburb as the metro continues to sprawl outward

[mattm93]

Originally Posted by Opkl

Isn't Rockford 150 miles from Chicago?

no its like 70 or 80 miles. but its still separated by corn fields

[czakaras]

Rockford is a city, and cherry valley is the nicest area close to Rockford, other than that the area is a big ghetto city. Although if you can afford the taxes stick to the East side of Rockford, thats "new" Rockford where its rare to see run down buildings and gangs of people hanging outside doing drug deals... There are problems in any city, Rockford has just become "known" for their problems.

[Chicago60614]

I think if they start developing a lot of "people draws" from Elgin to Crystal Lake it would have an effect on Rockford's growth and get on their radar.

That area is obviously a part of Chicagoland, and is only around 30 miles from Belvidere or so on the east end of Rockford. It's much easier to just "run" over to the Chicago burbs for things, and likewise might influence people to look at Rockford's east end because they can get to the burbs pretty quick without officially being caught up in them.

As of now though.....central Rockford is on its own in most instances.

[rockman13]

Originally Posted by UrbanQuest

... There really is no reason for anyone from Chicagoland to move there. Even the suburbs around Rockford aren't that great, compared to Huntley, Marengo or Woodstock....

The attraction to Rockford is the cost of living, which is only 80% of the national average, compared to Schaumburg at 105% and Naperville at 105%. Housing is by far the best bargain, however, within the Rockford School District, Unit 205, the real estate taxes are almost the highest in the nation, but fortunately, that is on a much lower priced property.

Another attractant is that the life style is a little more laid back and commuting is dramatically better than the suburbs.

A noticable number of Chicago and Chicago-suburban people have relocated here just specifically for low cost of housing. A surprising number of people live here and either work in the suburbs or even Chicago proper. My next door neighbor is a manager near O'Hare in the airline food service industry. Another neighbor works in Chi in the medical consulting business, although she desires to sell her home and to relocate closer.

[urza216]

Well, if Homewood, Glenwood and Chicago Heights aren't even suburbs then Rockford sure isn't.

[pvande55]

Not yet a suburb but getting closer every day. The Rockford airport is even advertising in the Chicago market.

[RelaxTakeItEasy]

I can't feel Rockford being a suburb of Chicago. If you look at it on the map it looks like its almost exactly in between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River/Iowa. Lots of distance.

Maybe if future growth only concentrated all along I-90 and filled up the areas between Rockford and Chicagos outer suburbs, not likely. Kind of like what growth along I-55, and growth in general did to Joliet. This one might take a while tho.