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.

Down paymentRate%

Marion Township$1,570/mo

Typical home $223K (Census) · tax rate 2.14% · or rent about $850/mo · Housing →

Pine Rock Township$1,330/mo

Typical home $192K (Census) · tax rate 2.00% · Housing →

The difference: $240 a month, about $2,900 a year, between Marion Township and Pine Rock 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.

Schools

A−Marion TownshipBetter than 75% of districts in the state B−Pine Rock TownshipBetter than 54% of districts in the state

Health

B+Marion TownshipHealthier than 71% of U.S. towns –Pine Rock TownshipNot graded

Where they are

Marion Township and Pine Rock Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Marion TownshipPine Rock Township

Marion Township ↔ Pine Rock Township7.5 miles apart · They share a border · Same county

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

Marion TownshipPine Rock Township

Snow a year32″32″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)72nd 58th

Outdoors & history

Marion TownshipPine Rock Township

Trails26 mi 2 mi

Conserved land1.6%0.8%

Archive photos1 —

Community

Marion TownshipPine Rock Township

Library hours a week59 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

Only big differences vs Illinois average

Marion TownshipPine Rock Township

People

Population 3,884Highest 696Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -6%Lowest -3.9%Highest

Median age 46.3±7.6Lowest 19% above IL 52.9±18.2Highest 36% above IL

Pine Rock Township and Marion Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 19.3%±4.3Lowest IL: 21.8% 25.3%±10.7Highest IL: 21.8%

Pine Rock Township and Marion Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 22.2%±4.9Highest IL: 17% 21%±7.1Lowest IL: 17%

Marion Township and Pine Rock Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 34.3%Highest IL: 37.8% 11.6%Lowest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.2%±2.2Highest IL: 6.3% 2.7%±3.3Lowest IL: 6.3%

Marion Township and Pine Rock Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $104,924±$18kHighest 26% above IL $80,000±$17kLowest 4% below IL

Marion Township and Pine Rock Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $223,100±$19kHighest 15% below IL $192,200±$50kLowest 27% below IL

Marion Township and Pine Rock Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $850±$636 33% below IL —

Property taxmedian, yearly $4,766Highest 10% below IL $3,851Lowest 27% below IL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 11.6%±16.7Lowest IL: 47.9% 100%±100Highest IL: 47.9%

Pine Rock Township and Marion Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 5.2%Highest IL: 11.8% 5%Lowest IL: 11.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 91.1%Lowest IL: 67.1% 97%Highest IL: 67.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1981Highest 10 yrs newer than IL 1974Lowest 3 yrs newer than IL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 12% below IL 24 minLowest 15% below IL

Work from home 9.3%±3.5Lowest IL: 15.9% 14.7%±15.4Highest IL: 15.9%

Pine Rock Township and Marion Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 4.8%Highest 0.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miLowest 19.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.36Highest 0.11Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Rockford (28%)Dixon (11%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Pine Rock TownshipFew work in Marion Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.6%Highest 0.8%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 25.9 miHighest 1.7 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 4.3Highest 2.4Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #100 of 384 in IL—

School district Meridian CUSD 223—

High school in town Stillman Valley High School—

Students per teacherat that high school 13.9 —

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.

Marion Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marion Township’s Town Square.

Pine Rock Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pine Rock Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Marion Township

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Byron Township6,410 people · $235K homes

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Scott Township3,305 people · $207K homes

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Rockvale Township1,649 people · $234K homes

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Rockford Township169,035 people · $136K homes

Towns like Marion Township

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Coal Valley4,229 people · $216K homes

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Summit Township3,743 people · $313K homes

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Ellington Township2,755 people · $234K homes

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Palmyra Township2,877 people · $266K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Illinois towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Marion Township vs Pine Rock Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $240 more a month in Marion Township

Grades and rankings, side by side

Marion Township and Pine Rock Township share a border

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Marion Township and Pine Rock Township

Bordering Marion Township

Towns like Marion Township

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