Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Leaf River Township vs Rockvale Township

Next-door neighbors in Ogle County. The biggest differences: trails (40× in Rockvale Township) and jobs per worker (6.6× in Rockvale Township).

×
Leaf River Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsOgle County · 1,125 people
×
Rockvale Township, ILA regional job hubOgle County · 1,649 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Leaf River TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 68%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Leaf River Township →
Rockvale TownshipA regional job hub
Work1,565 jobsbased in Rockvale Township, a regional job hub All about Rockvale Township →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails40×
Rockvale Township has more miles of trail
Rockvale Township 20.0 miLeaf River Township 0.5 mi
Jobs per worker6.6×
Rockvale Township is more of a job hub
Rockvale Township 2.12Leaf River Township 0.32
Property tax bill+47%
Tax bills are bigger in Rockvale Township
Rockvale Township $4,832Leaf River Township $3,282
Typical home built33 yrs
Leaf River Township’s homes are older
Rockvale Township 1991Leaf River Township 1958
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $420 more a month in Rockvale Township

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Leaf River Township$1,210/mo
Typical home $178K (Census) · tax rate 1.84% · or rent about $917/mo · Housing →
Rockvale Township$1,630/mo
Typical home $234K (Census) · tax rate 2.06% · Housing →

The difference: $420 a month, about $5,100 a year, between Rockvale Township and Leaf River Township.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Illinois ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Health
B+Leaf River TownshipHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns B−Rockvale TownshipHealthier than 46% of U.S. towns
Where they are

Leaf River Township and Rockvale Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Leaf River TownshipRockvale TownshipLeaf River TownshipRockvale Township
Leaf River Township ↔ Rockvale Township5.9 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
19 Leaf River Township residents work in Rockvale Township (3.7% of its workers)
Work & commute in Leaf River Township →
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Leaf River TownshipRockvale Township
Snow a year32″32″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)62nd62nd
Outdoors & history
Leaf River TownshipRockvale Township
Trails—20 mi
Conserved land—5.7%
Settled1882—
National Register places—1
Community
Leaf River TownshipRockvale Township
Library hours a week39 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Leaf River TownshipRockvale Township
People
Population 1,125Lowest 1,649Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.4%Lowest -2%Highest
Median age 50.5±5.3Lowest 29% above IL 53.9±8Highest 38% above IL
Rockvale Township and Leaf River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16.4%±6.3Highest IL: 21.8% 14.7%±5.6Lowest IL: 21.8%
Leaf River Township and Rockvale Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.5%±4.6Lowest IL: 17% 22.3%±5.8Highest IL: 17%
Rockvale Township and Leaf River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.4%Lowest IL: 37.8% 27.1%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.2%±1.6Lowest IL: 6.3% 2.9%±1.8Highest IL: 6.3%
Rockvale Township and Leaf River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $85,833±$9kLowest about the IL average $125,156±$39kHighest 50% above IL
Rockvale Township and Leaf River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $178,100±$71kLowest 32% below IL $234,200±$46kHighest 11% below IL
Rockvale Township and Leaf River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $917±$201 28% below IL —
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,282Lowest 38% below IL $4,832Highest 9% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 44.1%±18.6Highest IL: 47.9% 0%±46.4Lowest IL: 47.9%
Leaf River Township and Rockvale Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.4%Highest IL: 11.8% 2.5%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 92.4%Highest IL: 67.1% 91.7%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 13 yrs older than IL 1991Highest 20 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minLowest 8% above IL 30 minHighest 9% above IL
Work from home 2.6%±2.2Lowest IL: 15.9% 7.2%±4.9Highest IL: 15.9%
Rockvale Township and Leaf River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.4%Lowest 5.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.8 miHighest 18.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.32Lowest 2.12Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Rockford (20%)Rockford (23%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 4% work in Rockvale TownshipFew work in Leaf River Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 5.7%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miLowest 20.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.6Lowest 3.2Highest
Illinois average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Leaf River Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Leaf River Township’s Town Square.

Rockvale Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rockvale Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Leaf River Township and Rockvale Township

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Leaf River Township

+ Compare
Maryland Township440 people · $246K homes
+ Compare
Seward Township894 people · $216K homes
+ Compare
Byron Township6,410 people · $235K homes
R
+ Compare
Ridott Township1,301 people · $172K homes

Towns like Leaf River Township

O
+ Compare
Oxford Township1,213 people · $137K homes
+ Compare
Rapids City980 people · $204K homes
L
+ Compare
Long Creek1,392 people · $168K homes
A
+ Compare
Andalusia1,021 people · $168K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Post to Leaf River Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in