Rockford, Illinois
Presidential margin, 2004–2024
Democratic minus Republican, by election
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 2004 | +12.8% |
| 2008 | +25.8% |
| 2012 | +21.6% |
| 2016 | +20.7% |
| 2020 | +23.7% |
| 2024 | +21.5% |
| Year | Won | Democratic | Republican | Other | Margin | Swing | vs U.S. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 59.5%Harris31,117 | 38.1%Trump19,900 | 2.4% | D+21.5 | R+2.2 | D+22.9 | 52,287 | |
| D | 60.8%Biden33,986 | 37.2%Trump20,775 | 2.0% | D+23.7 | D+3.0 | D+19.2 | 55,858 | |
| D | 56.9%Clinton30,913 | 36.2%Trump19,680 | 7.0% | D+20.7 | R+1.0 | D+18.6 | 54,374 | |
| D | 59.8%Obama33,821 | 38.1%Romney21,571 | 2.1% | D+21.6 | R+4.1 | D+17.8 | 56,590 | |
| D | 61.9%Obama37,242 | 36.2%McCain21,752 | 1.9% | D+25.8 | D+12.9 | D+18.5 | 60,148 | |
| D | 56.0%Kerry31,722 | 43.1%Bush24,450 | 0.9% | D+12.8 | — | D+15.3 | 56,673 |
Rockford's electoral behavior tracks closely with its industrial economy — once a global fastener and machine-tool hub, the city's declining manufacturing base has reshuffled its working-class vote in ways that make it a reliable bellwether for northwest Illinois.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 25.8 points in 2008. Between 2020 and 2024 the city moved 2.2 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 21.5 points.
A population of 147,521, a 50% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $54,752 describe the city. The city's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Milwaukee and Moline.
The cities whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.
Browse places by community — income, education, race & ethnicity, language — all community cuts →
Compare two places, side by side
Twelve curated comparisons line up election history, demographics, and the divergence story for two places at a glance. Browse all comparisons →
Rockford, Illinois. Akashic. https://akashic.app/city/1765000/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.