Rockford, Illinois

Rockford is a city in Winnebago and Ogle counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located in far northern Illinois on the banks of the Rock River. It is the fifth-most populous city in Illinois, with a population of 148,655 at the 2020 census. The Rockford metropolitan area has an estimated 337,000 residents. Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County and the most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Rockford was settled as Midway in the mid-1830s due to its location roughly equidistant between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River. The city became notable in the 19th and early 20th centuries for its production of heavy machinery and furniture, but like other Rust Belt cities, Rockford experienced significant industrial decline in the late 20th century. Since the late 1990s, Rockford has pursued economic diversification in the automotive and healthcare industries, as well as downtown revitalization and tourism initiatives.

Nicknamed "the Forest City" for its heavily forested residential neighborhoods, Rockford is home to historical and cultural sites including the Anderson Japanese Gardens, Klehm Arboretum, Tinker Swiss Cottage, the BMO Harris Bank Center, the Coronado Theatre, the Laurent House, and the Burpee Museum of Natural History. Its contributions to music are noted in the Mendelssohn Club, the oldest music club in the U.S., and performers such as Cheap Trick and Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps.