Rock Island County

Rock Island County is located in northwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River, forming part of the Illinois–Iowa border in the Quad Cities region. Established in 1833 and named for Rock Island in the Mississippi, the county developed as a transportation and manufacturing center tied to river commerce, rail connections, and the nearby federal arsenal. Rock Island County is mid-sized in population, with about 144,000 residents (2020). Its county seat is Rock Island, while major population centers also include Moline and East Moline. The county combines urban and suburban communities along the river with more rural townships inland. Key economic sectors include manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and education, supported by regional cross-river commuting and trade. The landscape features Mississippi River frontage, bluffs, and agricultural land, and the county’s civic and cultural life reflects its role within the bi-state metropolitan area.

Rock Island County is located in northwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River, directly across from Iowa in the Quad Cities region. The county seat is Rock Island; local government and planning resources are available via the Rock Island County official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Rock Island County, Illinois, the county had an estimated population of 143,842 (2023).

Age & Gender

Age distribution and sex composition are published by the U.S. Census Bureau for Rock Island County in QuickFacts (Age and Sex tables). This source reports county-level shares for major age groups (under 18; 18–64; 65 and over) and the distribution by sex (female and male).

Racial & Ethnic Composition

County-level racial categories and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau in the QuickFacts Race and Hispanic Origin tables for Rock Island County. The tables include (among others) White, Black or African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, “two or more races,” and Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

Household & Housing Data

Household, families, and housing characteristics are provided for Rock Island County in the U.S. Census Bureau’s QuickFacts (Housing and Households tables). Reported indicators include (among others) the number of households, average household size, owner-occupied housing rate, median value of owner-occupied housing units, median gross rent, and counts of housing units.

Source Notes

All figures referenced above are drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile for Rock Island County, Illinois, which compiles county-level statistics primarily from the American Community Survey and Census population estimates.

Rock Island County (Quad Cities region) combines dense riverfront cities (Rock Island, Moline, East Moline) with less-dense rural townships, creating uneven last‑mile broadband coverage that shapes how residents access email and other digital services.

Direct county-level email usage statistics are not routinely published; email adoption is commonly inferred from household internet and device access reported by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). ACS indicators such as broadband subscription, computer ownership, and smartphone-only access act as proxies for email reach and reliability.

Age structure influences email adoption because older adults tend to rely more on email for healthcare, government, and financial communication, while younger cohorts often substitute messaging/social platforms. County age distributions are available via data.census.gov (ACS age tables), supporting interpretation without claiming measured email rates.

Gender distribution is generally less predictive than age and socioeconomic factors; ACS sex-by-age tables provide context via ACS demographic profiles.

Connectivity limitations include rural service gaps, affordability constraints reflected in non-subscription rates, and mobile-dependent households; local infrastructure context is documented through Rock Island County government and Illinois broadband planning resources such as the Illinois Office of Broadband.

Rock Island County is in northwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River, anchored by the Quad Cities urban area (Rock Island and Moline, adjacent to Davenport, Iowa). The county combines dense, built-up riverfront cities with lower-density suburban and rural townships inland. This mix of urban and rural settlement patterns affects mobile connectivity: denser areas typically support more cell sites and higher-capacity coverage, while lower-density areas tend to have fewer sites and more variable indoor reception. County geography is largely flat to gently rolling with a major river corridor; terrain is not a dominant constraint compared with tower siting, land use, and distance from sites.

Key terms: availability vs adoption

• Network availability (supply-side): Whether 4G/5G service is reported as available at a location, and at what advertised speeds/technologies (reported by providers and mapped by regulators).
• Household adoption (demand-side): Whether residents subscribe to mobile service, rely on smartphones for internet, or use mobile as their primary connection (measured via surveys such as the American Community Survey).

Mobile penetration / access indicators (adoption)

County-specific measures of “mobile penetration” (subscriptions per 100 residents) are not typically published at the county level in a standardized, public dataset. The most consistent county-level adoption indicators come from U.S. Census survey products:

• Household internet subscription types (county-level): The American Community Survey (ACS) includes estimates for households with cellular data plans and other internet subscriptions. These tables can be accessed through Census.gov data tables by selecting Rock Island County, Illinois and filtering for internet subscription characteristics in the ACS.
• Smartphone / device ownership (survey-based, generally not county-representative): County-level smartphone ownership is not consistently available from federal statistical series in a way that is comparable across all counties. National and state-level smartphone measures are commonly produced by private surveys, but those are not definitive for Rock Island County and are not uniformly reproducible.

Limitation: Public, comparable county-level “mobile subscription penetration” and “smartphone ownership rate” measures are limited. ACS is the primary source for county-level household internet subscription types, but it reflects survey estimates (with margins of error) rather than network operator subscription counts.

Mobile internet usage patterns and network availability (4G/5G)

Reported 4G LTE and 5G availability (network availability)

The most widely used public source for location-based reported mobile broadband availability in the U.S. is the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC):

• FCC BDC mobile broadband maps: Provider-reported 4G LTE and 5G availability can be reviewed via the FCC National Broadband Map. The map supports viewing mobile coverage by technology and provider and is the standard reference for “availability” rather than “adoption.”
• Illinois broadband planning context: State broadband planning and related mapping and grant programs are coordinated through the Illinois Broadband Office, which provides statewide context, program documentation, and references to mapping resources.

Important distinction: FCC mobile availability reflects provider-submitted coverage polygons and does not directly measure indoor performance, congestion, or user experience. It indicates where a provider reports service is available, not the share of residents subscribing.

Usage patterns (how mobile is used)

County-level, directly measured “mobile internet usage patterns” (such as percent of users on 4G vs 5G, or data consumption by technology) are generally not published as official statistics at the county level.

Publicly accessible indicators that partially describe usage patterns include:

• ACS indicators for cellular-data-only households: The ACS includes estimates for households that subscribe to cellular data plans and may also indicate households with no fixed broadband subscription. These provide a county-level signal of reliance on mobile internet (via Census.gov).
• Speed-test and crowdsourced data: Third-party platforms aggregate user tests and can show relative performance and 5G presence, but these are not official measures and vary by sample density and device mix. They are best treated as supplemental context rather than definitive county statistics.

Common device types (smartphones vs other devices)

What can be stated with public county-level data

• ACS focuses on subscription types rather than device ownership. The ACS can indicate whether households have a cellular data plan, but it does not provide a comprehensive county-level breakdown of device types (smartphones vs feature phones vs tablets) as an official statistic.
• Smartphone dominance is well-established nationally, but county-specific device shares are not standardized public data. As a result, definitive statements about Rock Island County’s exact smartphone share relative to other mobile devices are limited by data availability.

Practical interpretation consistent with available sources

• Household connectivity measured through “cellular data plan” subscriptions (ACS) is the most direct, public county-level proxy for smartphone-based access, since smartphones are the primary consumer endpoint for cellular data plans. This remains an inference about typical device usage rather than a published device inventory.

Limitation: No authoritative county-level public series consistently reports “smartphone vs non-smartphone” device ownership for all U.S. counties. County-level adoption discussion should rely on ACS subscription-type tables and clearly note the device-type gap.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Urban–rural settlement pattern and population density

• Denser areas (Rock Island–Moline urbanized corridor): Higher population density generally supports more cell sites, greater sectorization, and higher capacity, which tends to improve availability and performance and increase the likelihood of 5G deployments.
• Lower-density townships: Fewer sites per square mile can translate into weaker indoor coverage at the margins of cells and more pronounced performance variability during peak periods.

Population and housing distribution details are available through Census QuickFacts (select Rock Island County, Illinois) and Census.gov (for more detailed geography and housing tables).

Income, age, and household characteristics (adoption-side drivers)

• Income and affordability: Households with lower incomes are more likely to rely on mobile-only internet or have intermittent service due to cost constraints; this relationship is commonly examined using ACS income and subscription tables (available via Census.gov).
• Age distribution: Older populations often show lower rates of smartphone adoption and home internet subscription in survey research; county-level age distributions can be obtained from Census.gov. Device-specific adoption by age is not published as an official county statistic, but age structure remains a relevant contextual factor for interpreting subscription patterns.

Cross-state metro dynamics (Quad Cities region)

Rock Island County’s integration into a multi-state metro area can affect:

• Network investment patterns: Providers often prioritize continuous coverage and capacity along major commuting corridors and commercial districts spanning the Illinois–Iowa border.
• Usage concentration: Demand tends to be highest in employment centers, retail corridors, and event venues along the riverfront and interstate routes.

Regional context and county geography can be referenced through the Rock Island County government website and standard Census geographic products on Census.gov.

Summary: what is knowable with public data

• Availability: Provider-reported 4G/5G availability for Rock Island County can be reviewed in a standardized way using the FCC National Broadband Map (network availability).
• Adoption: County-level household adoption signals—especially households with cellular data plans and the extent of mobile-only reliance—are available from ACS tables via Census.gov (household adoption).
• Device types and usage-by-technology: Definitive county-level public statistics for smartphone shares and actual 4G vs 5G usage proportions are limited; these topics are generally addressed with state/national surveys or non-official measurement sources and should be treated as contextual rather than definitive at the county level.

Rock Island County sits in northwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities region, anchored by Rock Island and Moline and strongly shaped by cross‑river ties with Iowa (Davenport–Bettendorf). Its mix of mid‑sized urban neighborhoods, suburban areas, and nearby rural communities—along with major employers in manufacturing and logistics and a large commuter footprint—tends to align local social media use with broader Midwestern and U.S. patterns rather than highly specialized “tech hub” behavior.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

• Local (county‑specific) penetration: Public, methodologically comparable county‑level social media penetration estimates are generally not published in major national surveys; most reliable benchmarks are national and state-level.
• National benchmark (adults): About 69% of U.S. adults use at least one social media site, according to the Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.
• Illinois context: Rock Island County typically tracks statewide connectivity patterns (broadband and smartphone availability) seen across Illinois’ metro and micropolitan counties; usage levels are therefore most defensibly summarized using national benchmarks plus local demographic structure (age distribution and urbanization).

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

Based on Pew’s U.S. adult findings, social media use is highest among younger adults and declines with age:

• 18–29: ~84% use social media
• 30–49: ~81%
• 50–64: ~73%
• 65+: ~45%
  Source: Pew Research Center.
  Implication for Rock Island County: With a typical Midwestern mix of working‑age households and older residents, overall penetration is shaped heavily by the share of residents over 50 and by younger adult retention in the Quad Cities labor market and higher‑education ecosystem.

Gender breakdown

Overall social media usage shows relatively small differences by gender at the “any social media” level, while platform choice varies more noticeably:

• Pew reports platform-level gender skews (examples below), while overall adoption is broadly similar between men and women. Source: Pew Research Center.

Most‑used platforms (U.S. adult benchmarks; county‑specific shares not consistently published)

Pew’s adult platform usage estimates (share of U.S. adults who say they use each):

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (formerly Twitter): ~22%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
  Source: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.

Platform gender skews (illustrative examples from Pew):

• Pinterest skews more female than male.
• LinkedIn tends to be more used among college‑educated and higher‑income adults (often relevant in professional/commuter labor markets). Source: Pew Research Center.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Video-led attention: With YouTube at the top of adult usage, short‑ and long‑form video are central to cross‑age reach; this aligns with general U.S. consumption patterns documented by Pew. Source: Pew Research Center.
• Age-based platform specialization:
  • Younger adults over-index on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat relative to older adults.
  • Older adults remain comparatively more concentrated on Facebook. Source: Pew Research Center.
• Community and local-information use: In mid‑sized metro areas like the Quad Cities, Facebook groups/pages commonly function as local event, school, and community-information channels, reflecting Facebook’s broad reach among adults and older age cohorts (consistent with Pew’s platform distribution).
• Professional networking concentration: LinkedIn usage tends to concentrate among college‑educated and higher‑income residents, which typically maps to professional clusters and commuter patterns seen in regional employment centers. Source: Pew Research Center.

Note on granularity: County-level platform penetration and demographic splits are not routinely available from major public survey series; the most defensible “Rock Island County” summary relies on national, methodologically transparent datasets (notably Pew) combined with the county’s demographic and metro-regional context.

Rock Island County family and associate-related public records include vital records and court records. Birth and death records are maintained by the Rock Island County Clerk’s Vital Records office, which issues certified copies and maintains county-level indexes as required by Illinois law. Marriage records are also held by the County Clerk. Adoption records are generally filed through the court system and are typically sealed under Illinois confidentiality rules; access is restricted to eligible parties and authorized agencies.

Publicly searchable databases are limited for vital records; certified birth and death records are not released as open public records. Some court-related information (case dockets and registers of actions) is accessible through the Rock Island County Circuit Clerk’s online systems and in-person terminals, subject to redactions and statutory exemptions.

Access methods include online and in-person requests. The County Clerk provides office information and procedures for vital records requests via its official site: Rock Island County Clerk. Court records are administered by the Circuit Clerk: Rock Island County Circuit Clerk. Many records may also be inspected on-site during business hours, with copying fees and identification requirements varying by record type.

Privacy restrictions commonly apply to adoption files, certain juvenile matters, and confidential personal identifiers; publicly released records are typically redacted to remove protected information.

Types of records available

• Marriage licenses and marriage certificates (county records)
  • Rock Island County issues marriage licenses and maintains the associated county marriage record (often used to produce certified copies as “marriage certificates”).
• Divorce records (court records)
  • Divorce matters are maintained as case files in the Rock Island County Circuit Court. The final court order is commonly referred to as a Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage (divorce decree/judgment).
• Annulment records (court records)
  • Annulments are maintained as case files in the Rock Island County Circuit Court, generally titled as a Declaration of Invalidity of Marriage (or similar wording), with a final court order.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Marriage records

  • Filed/maintained by: Rock Island County Clerk (as the county’s keeper of vital records for marriages).
  • Access method: Requests for certified copies are typically handled through the County Clerk’s office by application (in person, by mail, and/or through the county’s published procedures). Identification and fees are generally required for certified copies.
  • State index: Marriages are also reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for statewide vital records administration and indexing, but county-level certified copies commonly come from the County Clerk.
  • Online resources: County offices may provide informational pages, forms, and fee schedules online. Rock Island County Clerk information is typically accessed via the county website: https://www.rockislandcountyil.gov/.

• Divorce and annulment records

  • Filed/maintained by: Rock Island County Circuit Court Clerk (court records).
  • Access method: Court case records are accessed through the Circuit Clerk’s records systems and/or in-person public terminals/records request processes. Certified copies of judgments/orders are obtained from the Circuit Clerk, generally with required fees.
  • Electronic access: Illinois circuit courts commonly provide some level of online case lookup and electronic docket access, with documents available subject to court rules and confidentiality restrictions. County-specific access points are typically linked via Rock Island County and Illinois courts resources. Rock Island County’s general portal: https://www.rockislandcountyil.gov/.

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license / marriage record

  • Full names of both parties (including prior names in some cases)
  • Dates of birth and ages
  • Residences and/or addresses at time of application
  • Place of marriage and date of marriage (recorded after the officiant returns the completed license)
  • Officiant name/title and certification/return information
  • Witness information may appear depending on the form used and period
  • License number, filing date, and issuing authority (County Clerk)

• Divorce decree / judgment for dissolution

  • Names of the parties; case number; filing and judgment dates
  • Findings and orders dissolving the marriage
  • Provisions addressing issues such as allocation of parental responsibilities, parenting time, child support, maintenance (spousal support), division of property and debts, restoration of a former name, and other court-ordered terms (as applicable to the case)
  • Related orders may exist in the file (temporary orders, child support orders, QDRO-related orders, and enforcement/modify orders)

• Annulment / declaration of invalidity

  • Names of the parties; case number; filing and judgment dates
  • Findings regarding legal invalidity and orders declaring the marriage invalid
  • Related orders on financial issues and parentage/parental responsibilities may appear when applicable under Illinois law and the specific case circumstances

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Marriage records

  • Marriages are vital records maintained at the county level and generally treated as public records for purposes of obtaining certified copies, subject to office procedures, identity verification requirements for certified copies, and statutory fee schedules.
  • Some data elements may be limited in non-certified/public-facing copies depending on the request type and county practice.

• Divorce and annulment court files

  • Court case dockets are generally public, but access to documents can be restricted by:
    • Sealed records/orders entered by the court
    • Confidential information rules (redaction of personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers)
    • Protected information involving minors, adoption-related matters, certain evaluations, and sensitive filings
  • Certified copies of final judgments and orders are issued by the Circuit Court Clerk under court-record certification procedures.
  • Illinois public access to court records is governed by the Illinois Supreme Court Rules and applicable statutes, including requirements for redaction and limits on remote electronic access for certain document types.

Rock Island County is in northwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River, anchored by the Quad Cities (notably Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline) and adjacent to Scott County, Iowa. It is a mid-sized, industrial-and-services regional economy with a mix of older urban neighborhoods, post‑war suburbs, and rural townships; the population is relatively stable with moderate aging compared with faster-growing U.S. metro areas.

Education Indicators

Public school landscape (counts and names)

Public K–12 education is delivered through multiple local districts rather than a single countywide system. A countywide count of “public schools” varies by source definition (campus vs. program site). The most consistently named public districts serving Rock Island County include:

• Rock Island–Milan School District 41 (Rock Island/Milan)
• Moline–Coal Valley School District 40 (Moline/Coal Valley)
• East Moline School District 37 (East Moline)
• Silvis School District 34 (Silvis)
• Hampton School District 29 (Hampton)
• Sherrard Community Unit School District 200 (serves parts of Rock Island & Mercer counties)
• Riverdale School District 14 (serves portions of Rock Island County along the river)

Named high schools commonly associated with these districts include Rock Island High School, Moline High School, United Township High School (East Moline/Silvis area), Sherrard High School, and Riverdale High School. District and school listings are published through the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and district websites; consolidated countywide “number of public schools” totals differ across datasets and should be treated as source-specific.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratios: District-level ratios are published in ISBE “Illinois Report Card” profiles and vary by district and grade span. Countywide ratios are not typically reported as a single consolidated figure because districts operate independently.
• Graduation rates: 4‑year high school graduation rates are available at the school and district level through the Illinois Report Card. For Rock Island County, graduation outcomes are best described by citing the specific high schools serving county residents (e.g., Rock Island HS, Moline HS, United Township HS, Sherrard HS, Riverdale HS), since rates differ across campuses and cohorts.

Adult educational attainment

Adult attainment for Rock Island County is most commonly summarized using U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) county estimates:

• High school diploma (or equivalent) and higher: reported as an ACS percentage of adults (age 25+).
• Bachelor’s degree and higher: reported as an ACS percentage of adults (age 25+).
  These indicators are available in U.S. Census Bureau data tables (ACS 5‑year is typically used for county reliability). Rock Island County generally tracks near the Illinois average for high school completion and below the Illinois average for bachelor’s attainment, reflecting its manufacturing/logistics base and sizable skilled-trades workforce (county-specific percentages should be taken directly from the current ACS release).

Notable programs (STEM, career/vocational, Advanced Placement)

• Advanced Placement (AP) and dual credit: Offered primarily through the county’s comprehensive high schools; course catalogs and participation metrics are tracked via district reporting and, in aggregate, through ISBE high school coursework indicators.
• Career and Technical Education (CTE): Common regional pathways include manufacturing, welding, automotive, construction trades, health sciences, and information technology. CTE program availability is district-specific and frequently coordinated with regional partners and postsecondary institutions.
• STEM and workforce alignment: The Quad Cities labor market supports engineering/advanced manufacturing and health-related training pipelines; STEM offerings are typically embedded in high school sequences and dual-credit arrangements rather than countywide standalone academies.

School safety measures and counseling supports

Safety and student support practices are district-operated and commonly include:

• Secure entry/visitor management, ID protocols, and emergency response planning aligned to Illinois school safety requirements.
• School resource officers (SROs) or law-enforcement partnerships in some districts/schools.
• Student services staffing (school counselors, social workers, psychologists) and behavioral threat assessment practices, where adopted. District-specific safety plans and counseling resources are typically described in board policies, student handbooks, and annual reporting; there is no single countywide program that uniformly applies across all districts.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent)

The most comparable and current unemployment statistics are published by:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) (monthly and annual averages)
• Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) (county and metro labor force and unemployment series)

Rock Island County’s unemployment typically aligns with the Quad Cities metro cycle, with annual average unemployment in the mid‑single digits in recent years; the most recent annual figure should be taken from LAUS/IDES for the latest completed calendar year.

Major industries and sectors

Employment is shaped by a diversified base typical of a bi-state river metro:

• Manufacturing (including machinery and transportation-related supply chains)
• Health care and social assistance
• Retail trade and accommodation/food services
• Educational services and public administration
• Transportation, warehousing, and logistics The county’s sector mix is commonly summarized in ACS “industry by occupation” tables and regional economic profiles.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Across the Quad Cities labor market, major occupational groups include:

• Production and maintenance (manufacturing/trades)
• Office/administrative support
• Sales and related
• Transportation and material moving
• Healthcare practitioners and support
• Education, training, and library ACS occupation tables in data.census.gov provide the county’s distribution by major occupational group.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

• Commuting mode: The dominant mode is driving alone, with smaller shares carpooling, working from home, and using public transportation (typical of mid-sized Midwestern metros).
• Mean travel time to work: Reported by ACS; Rock Island County generally falls in the low-to-mid 20-minute range for mean commute time (county-specific current values should be taken from the latest ACS “Travel time to work” tables).

Local employment vs. out-of-county work

Rock Island County is part of a bi-state commuting shed. A meaningful share of residents work:

• within the county (Quad Cities municipalities and industrial corridors), and
• across the river in Scott County, Iowa (notably Davenport/Bettendorf employment centers), with additional flows to nearby Illinois counties. The most defensible measurement of in-/out-commuting and job location is provided by U.S. Census LEHD/OnTheMap (residence-to-workplace flow data).

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership and rental share

Home tenure is reported by the ACS:

• Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied housing shares are available as countywide percentages in ACS housing tenure tables.
  Rock Island County typically reflects a majority homeowner profile, with higher renter shares in core cities (Rock Island, Moline, East Moline) and higher ownership in suburban/rural townships.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median home value (owner-occupied): Reported by ACS and commonly supplemented by market indicators from real estate aggregators.
• Trend: Recent years generally show moderate appreciation compared with high-growth U.S. metros, with values influenced by interest rate cycles and local inventory. For a primary statistical reference, ACS median value is the standard benchmark; it updates annually (1‑year where available, otherwise 5‑year).

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent: Reported in ACS. County rents are typically below the Illinois metro-area highs, with variation by neighborhood, unit type, and proximity to employment centers and riverfront amenities. The latest county median gross rent should be taken from current ACS tables.

Housing types and built environment

Rock Island County’s housing stock is a mix of:

• Single-family detached homes (common in neighborhoods built from the early 1900s through post‑war periods)
• Duplexes and small multifamily (especially in older urban neighborhoods)
• Garden-style and mid-rise apartments in and near city centers and major corridors
• Rural lots and farm-adjacent housing in townships outside the urban core
  Older housing stock is prevalent in core cities, which is associated with a higher share of pre‑1970 structures and a greater need for maintenance/rehabilitation compared with newer suburban areas (best quantified via ACS “Year structure built”).

Neighborhood characteristics (schools and amenities)

• Urban core areas (Rock Island, Moline, East Moline): Denser neighborhoods, more multifamily options, shorter access to downtown services, hospitals, community colleges, and bus corridors; school catchments vary by district boundaries.
• Suburban and small-town areas (e.g., Coal Valley, Hampton, portions of Sherrard/Riverdale districts): More single-family housing, larger lots, and typically closer proximity to local schools but longer drives to some specialized services.
• Riverfront/near-trail corridors: Concentrations of recreation amenities and redevelopment nodes; pricing varies widely by micro-location and housing condition.

Property tax overview (rate and typical cost)

Illinois property taxes are locally administered and vary by taxing district (school district levies are a major component). Countywide “average rate” is not a single fixed value because rates depend on location, assessed value, exemptions, and overlapping jurisdictions. The most authoritative references are:

• Rock Island County Treasurer (billing/collections and general property tax information)
• Rock Island County Assessment Office (assessment, exemptions, equalization)

For typical homeowner cost comparisons, effective tax rates in Illinois are high relative to national norms, and annual bills vary substantially by municipality and school district. A precise “typical bill” for Rock Island County should be taken from aggregate county reports or parcel-level distributions published by the county offices; generalized statewide averages are not a reliable substitute for local taxing-district variation.