Jobs, pay and daily life in Rock Island, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Rock Island is a city in Illinois with 36,151 residents. The median household earns $59,041 a year and the median rent is $842 a month, which is 17.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 180,450 jobs.
How Rock Island compares. Among the 100 largest places in Illinois, Rock Island is #51 by population, #6 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #9 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #87 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Rock Island County, is #6 of 102 counties for average pay ($72,332).
Rock Island has 36,151 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Illinois. It covers 18 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,062 people per square mile. The median age is 37.4, 4% younger than the state median (37.4 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $842 a month (rent plus utilities), 34% below the state median ($842 against $1,274). Over a year that is 17.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $125,900, which is 2.1 times the median household income ($59,041); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 64.8% of households own their home, 3% below the state average (64.8% against 67.1%).
The Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metropolitan area has 180,450 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,550 a year, 5% below the national median ($48,550 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (18,510 jobs, median $45,110); transportation and material moving (17,710 jobs, median $45,870); production (16,510 jobs, median $47,930). The area is most specialised in production (1.7 times) and installation, maintenance, and repair (1.1 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($105,610) and business and financial operations ($80,790). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Rock Island County was 5.4%. 59.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Rock Island County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 75.8% drive alone, 1.8% use public transit, 3.3% walk, 10.3% work from home. 6.4% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 68% below the state average (6.4% against 19.7%).
24.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 35% below the state share (24.5% against 37.9%). 8.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 45% below the state share (8.0% against 14.8%). The poverty rate is 21.0%, 78% above the state rate (21.0% against 11.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 22°F (-5.5°C). About 925 mm (36 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (125 mm) and Jan the driest (34 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Moline (5 miles, rent 7% higher); Davenport (6 miles, rent 16% higher); Bettendorf (9 miles, rent 41% higher); Eldridge (12 miles, rent 12% higher). Rent differences are against Rock Island; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Illinois (1,066) →State guide: IllinoisCountry guideRock Island CountyIllinois rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,066 federal postings open in Illinois (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Illinois →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,810 | 1.08 | $31,200 | $23,180 | $35,430 | +0% |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,760 | 1.05 | $32,030 | $28,000 | $46,280 | -10% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,370 | 1.28 | $42,980 | $32,960 | $56,670 | +7% |
| Cashiers | 4,250 | 1.19 | $31,200 | $27,950 | $36,820 | -5% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,750 | 0.92 | $91,140 | $46,710 | $203,690 | -14% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,520 | 0.90 | $77,150 | $63,650 | $98,610 | -21% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,280 | 1.00 | $36,720 | $30,100 | $49,330 | -2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,070 | 1.28 | $58,280 | $40,620 | $74,500 | -1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 3,040 | 1.01 | $39,950 | $31,200 | $60,770 | -11% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,680 | 1.02 | $31,200 | $15,080 | $47,190 | -11% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,550 | 1.56 | $45,470 | $35,100 | $57,590 | +2% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,530 | 0.99 | $35,560 | $28,800 | $48,600 | -3% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,370 | 0.83 | $42,340 | $31,200 | $60,500 | -6% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,280 | 0.46 | $34,370 | $29,900 | $44,260 | -4% |
| Nursing Assistants | 2,220 | 1.32 | $38,740 | $36,100 | $46,810 | -8% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 2,100 | 1.28 | $34,530 | $27,630 | $46,960 | -6% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,940 | 1.09 | $51,200 | $35,130 | $77,330 | +3% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,760 | 1.09 | $61,650 | $47,010 | $79,840 | -4% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,670 | 0.84 | $45,710 | $31,750 | $62,380 | -4% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 1,580 | 1.10 | $73,480 | $41,800 | $130,490 | +2% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Managers | 1,070 | 1.10 | $139,150 | $79,520 | $231,720 | -16% |
| Software Developers | 1,220 | 0.62 | $115,780 | $77,920 | $163,490 | -15% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 930 | 2.71 | $104,320 | $78,230 | $136,240 | +0% |
| Industrial Engineers | 1,190 | 2.80 | $104,100 | $78,200 | $136,550 | +2% |
| Project Management Specialists | 650 | 0.53 | $102,880 | $59,700 | $161,770 | +1% |
| Logisticians | 770 | 2.65 | $100,710 | $61,140 | $139,170 | +22% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 550 | 0.79 | $99,490 | $67,600 | $174,600 | -20% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 1,110 | 0.88 | $95,140 | $50,700 | $132,040 | +15% |
| Management Analysts | 530 | 0.51 | $93,530 | $57,740 | $132,040 | -8% |
| General and Operations Managers | 3,750 | 0.92 | $91,140 | $46,710 | $203,690 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 1,200 | 1.27 | $86,180 | $56,680 | $113,550 | +8% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | 1,320 | 2.32 | $84,730 | $52,000 | $126,120 | +9% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 1,420 | 1.34 | $79,670 | $49,920 | $124,900 | +5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 770 | 1.08 | $77,860 | $48,550 | $122,160 | -3% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,560 | 0.93 | $77,600 | $49,850 | $126,750 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,520 | 0.90 | $77,150 | $63,650 | $98,610 | -21% |
| Electricians | 1,450 | 1.65 | $76,950 | $40,640 | $102,480 | +22% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 1,140 | 1.46 | $76,580 | $48,700 | $106,380 | +3% |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 680 | 1.26 | $76,310 | $46,560 | $100,930 | +20% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 1,580 | 1.10 | $73,480 | $41,800 | $130,490 | +2% |
These figures are for the whole Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,550 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.6% |
| Manufacturing | 13.9% |
| Retail trade | 12.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.3% |
| Construction | 6.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.0% |
| Public administration | 3.5% |
| Other services | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.3% |
| Information | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Rock Island lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Island County | 142,757 | $12,607 million | $88,312 | 70,119 | 2,880 | $72,332 | -2.4% | 5.4% | 66,893 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 9,870 | 17.9% | $69,190 | 1.71 |
| Health care and social assistance | 8,626 | 15.7% | $61,862 | 0.86 |
| Retail trade | 6,922 | 12.6% | $37,548 | 0.99 |
| Wholesale trade | 6,485 | 11.8% | $181,496 | 2.35 |
| Accommodation and food services | 5,285 | 9.6% | $23,161 | 0.83 |
| Administrative and waste services | 4,191 | 7.6% | $63,944 | 1.02 |
| Construction | 2,762 | 5.0% | $76,472 | 0.75 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,602 | 4.7% | $90,312 | 0.53 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,127 | 3.9% | $39,673 | 1.01 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,564 | 2.8% | $80,099 | 0.55 |
| Educational services | 1,529 | 2.8% | $31,409 | 1.05 |
| Management of companies | 1,030 | 1.9% | $113,291 | 0.87 |
| Real estate and rental | 706 | 1.3% | $63,737 | 0.65 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 642 | 1.2% | $22,313 | 0.54 |
| Information | 564 | 1.0% | $70,908 | 0.43 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 92 | 0.2% | $42,649 | 0.16 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 77 | 0.1% | $68,005 | 0.29 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 75.8% |
| Public transit | 1.8% |
| Walk | 3.3% |
| Work from home | 10.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 6.4% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,041 |
| Income per person | $34,053 |
| Median gross rent per month | $842 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.1% |
| Median home value | $125,900 |
| Homeowners | 64.8% |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 89.1 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,550 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.95%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 24.5% |
| Born abroad | 8.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -5.5 | 22 | 34 |
| Feb | -3.8 | 25 | 42 |
| Mar | 3.2 | 38 | 60 |
| Apr | 10.2 | 50 | 92 |
| May | 16.4 | 62 | 115 |
| Jun | 21.9 | 71 | 125 |
| Jul | 24.2 | 76 | 95 |
| Aug | 23.2 | 74 | 99 |
| Sep | 18.9 | 66 | 87 |
| Oct | 11.0 | 52 | 74 |
| Nov | 3.9 | 39 | 52 |
| Dec | -2.7 | 27 | 50 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moline | IL | 5 mi | 42,197 | $67,701 | $900 |
| Davenport | IA | 6 mi | 100,913 | $66,200 | $978 |
| Bettendorf | IA | 9 mi | 39,647 | $100,495 | $1,187 |
| Eldridge | IA | 12 mi | 6,818 | $106,316 | $945 |
| Muscatine | IA | 25 mi | 23,489 | $58,117 | $974 |
| Clinton | IA | 31 mi | 24,322 | $60,230 | $791 |
| Galesburg | IL | 37 mi | 29,481 | $48,297 | $801 |
| Iowa City | IA | 51 mi | 75,752 | $58,546 | $1,094 |
| Burlington | IA | 54 mi | 23,728 | $59,000 | $924 |
| Coralville | IA | 55 mi | 23,234 | $69,144 | $1,057 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
36,151 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$842 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.1% of the median household income.
$59,041 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.4% (BLS county, Rock Island County (latest month 2026M09)).
Illinois. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.