Rock Island is located in the southwest corner of the Quad City region (Rock Island and Moline, Illinois, Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa). Located in western Illinois on the Mississippi River, 165 miles west of Chicago, and midway between Minneapolis and St. Louis, the city provides easy access to other major Midwest towns. Rock Island is surrounded by two great rivers, the Mississippi and the Rock Rivers. These rivers support many leisure activities in the area and have beautiful scenic views. Fifteen percent of the nation's population resides within a 300-mile radius of Rock Island.

Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County. Rock Island covers over 15 square miles and was the first area settled within the Quad Cities.

The average travel time to work is 16 minutes. 11.1% of Rock Island's households do not own a vehicle, 41.1% own one vehicle, 32.9% own two vehicles, and 15% own three or more vehicles.

With its ideal location at the crossroads of the Midwest, the Quad Cities has multiple means of transportation providing a unique set of choices to move products or supplies anywhere in the world. The Quad Cities lies within a day's drive of nearly 40 million consumers. The major highways intersecting Rock Island are Interstate 280, Highways 5, 67, and 92. In addition, interstates in the Quad City area include Interstate 74, 80, and 88. With the Mississippi River in our backyard, product can be moved on barges. Our many ports and barge companies are closely linked to rail, allowing for even more options. The Quad City International Airport has over 30 daily departures on six airlines to eight major hubs.

For more information visit the Quad Cities First web site at www.quadcities.org.

Traffic Counts

Here are the daily traffic counts for major intersections in Rock Island.

Downtown
Crossing the Centennial Bridge - 20,200
1st Avenue, 17-18th Streets - 9,600
24th Street at 1st Avenue - 16,500
4th Avenue, 24-25th Streets - 14,300
5th Avenue, 24-25th Streets - 11,500

Hilltop
18th Avenue, 30th Street - 15,400
18th Avenue, 38th Street - 15,300

Blackhawk Road
Blackhawk Road & 30th Street - 19,800
Blackhawk Road & 38th Street - 22,000

11th Street
11th Street & 31st Avenue - 13,000
Rock Island Parkway & Andalusia Rd - 18,500

Source: Bi-State Regional Commission www.bistateonline.com June 2005.

Download an updated map of the daily traffic counts for 2010 from Bi-State Regional Commission here. For complete average daily counts from the State of Illinois click here.

Every two years, the Community Marketing program of Renaissance Rock Island conducts a telephone survey to determine statistically valid perceptions about Rock Island. Personal Marketing Research, Inc. (PMR) was contracted to administer the survey in the fourth quarter of 2009. The sample for the study was comprised of 800 respondents, allowing for an overall margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points at 95% level of confidence. 400 Rock Island residents and 400 non-residents were questioned.

Overwhelmingly, Rock Island residents believe that Rock Island is a good place to live (91%). The majority of residents have a positive view of Rock Island (65%) and non-residents have a neutral perception (56%).

When rating City services and the School District, residents gave more positive answers than in 2007. Residents feel that the amount of property taxes paid for City services (46%) and School District services (48%) is appropriate. All City services were rated above average by residents. Residents think the schools are better or much better than five years ago (36%).

Respondents state that Rock Island has the best downtown (39%). This has changed dramatically since 1990 when respondents thought Rock Island had the worst downtown. People go downtown for entertainment, dining, and bars and this has remained consistent since 1990.

Residents and non-residents agree with the Rock Solid, Rock Island brand statements - now five years old: Rock Island is a welcoming environment, a place that supports entrepreneurial spirit, and a place that celebrates a diverse environment. Rock Island offers a wide variety of residential housing options, has innovative public and private schools, offers a complete set of recreational and leisure activities, provides outstanding city and governmental services, and is a regional leader in downtown development.

Respondents feel that Rock Island is safe (76% stated very safe or safe), and more residents stated so (87% stated very safe or safe). Residents feel safe in their neighborhoods (84% stated very safe or safe). Respondents feel that Rock Island properties are well kept (63%), with residents feeling more so (71%). Respondents feel downtown Rock Island is safe (49% stated very safe or safe), while more residents felt safe (54% stated very safe or safe).

Perceptions of Rock Island have improved since 1990, due to continual improvements in the city. However, just as stated in the conclusions of the 1990 market research, work will need to continue.

Click here to download the 34-page executive summary of the survey results.

General Characteristics

Total Population Rock Island 37,332
Total Population Quad Cities 376,160
Median Age 38
Male 48.4%
Female 51.6%

0 to 19 years 28.5%
20 to 24 years 7.1%
25 to 34 years 11.1%
35 to 44 years 13.0%
45 to 54 years 13.5%
55 to 64 years 10.4%

65 years & older 16.4%
18 years & older 77.1%

White 74.9%
Black or African America 21.0%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.2%
Asian 0.8%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0%
Some other race 3.1%
One race 97.6%
Two or more races 2.4%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 8.5%

Social Characteristics

Total Households 15,077
Average Household Size 2.3
High School Graduate or Higher 84.9%
Bachelor’s degree or higher 19.6%
Households with Individuals Under 18 Years 25.9%
School Enrollment K-12 6,569

Never Married - Males 39%, Females 30.5% (population 15 years and older)
Married – Males 46.1%, Females 40.3%
Widowed – Males 2.7%, Females 12.7%
Divorced – Males 10.5%, Females 13.6%

Economic Characteristics

Median Household Income $37,186
Mean Household Income $49,595

Household Income & Benefits (in 2007 inflation-adjusted dollars)

• Less than $10,000 12.7%
• $10,000 to $14,999 8.8%
• $15,000 to $24,999 14.0%
• $35,000 to $49,999 17.8%
• $50,000 to $74,999 17.1%
• $75,000 to $99,999 8.1%
• $100,000 to $149,999 7.0%
• $150,000 to $199,999 1.9%
• $200,000 or more 1.9%

Mean Earnings $49,515 (72.4% of household population)
Mean Social Security Income $13,409 (33.5% of household population)
Mean Retirement Income $19,102 (25.4% of household population)

In Labor Force 60.9% (population 16 years and older)
Employed 54.8%
Unemployed 5.9%

Occupation (civilian employed population 16 years and older)

• Management, professional & related occupations 25.4%
• Service occupations 17.9%
• Sales and office occupations 29.6%
• Farming, fishing & forestry occupations 0.2%
• Construction, extractions, maintenance & repair occupations 9.2%
• Production, transportation, & material moving occupations 17.7%

Industry (civilian employed population 16 years and older)

• Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 0.1%
• Construction 5.4%
• Manufacturing 14.0%
• Wholesale trade 3.9%
• Retail trade 13.2%
• Transportation and warehousing & utilities 4.3%
• Information 1.8%
• Professional, scientific and management & administrative and waste management services 7.4%
• Educational services, & health care and social assistance 21.5%
• Arts, entertainment, and recreation & accommodation and food services 12.1%
• Other services, except public administration 5.4%
• Public administration 5.1%

Housing Characteristics

Total Housing Units 16,809
Owner-Occupied Housing Units 69.0%
Renter-Occupied Housing Units 31.0%
Median Value of Owner-Occupied Homes $90,500
Median Monthly Rent $516

Year House Built

• Built 2000 or later 0.7%
• Built 1980 to 1999 6.5%
• Built 1960 to 1979 20.2%
• Built 1940 to 1959 32.4%
• Built 1939 or earlier 40.1%

For more details, download the population and housing narrative.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2007 American Community Survey

When considering Rock Island for your business, keep in mind that Rock Island is part of a greater metropolitan area - the Quad Cities - where consumers travel from community to community on a daily basis. People may work in one community, live in another, and shop or dine in yet another.

PRIZM from Nielsen Claritas is an industry-leading consumer segmentation system. Following is the information on Rock Island's zip code 61201.

Rock Island's most common PRIZM NE Segments are:

• Middleburg Managers
• Sunset City Blues
  Family Thrifts
• Hometown Retired
• Mobility Blues

Middleburg Managers
Midscale, Older w/o Kids Middleburg
Managers arose when empty-nesters settled in satellite communities which offered a lower cost of living and more relaxed pace. Today, segment residents tend to be middle-class with solid white-collar jobs or comfortable retirements. In their older homes, they enjoy reading, playing musical instruments, indoor gardening, and refinishing furniture.

2007 Statistics:
US Households: 2,088,515 (1.84%)
Median Household Income: $50,050

Lifestyle Traits:
Play bingo, Do needlepoint, Saturday Evening Post, Hollywood Squares TV, Mercury Sable

Demographics Traits:
Age Ranges: Age 55+
Homeownership: Mostly Owners
Employment Levels: White Collar, Mix
Education Levels: Some College
Ethnic Diversity: Mostly White

Sunset City Blues
Lower-Mid, Older Mostly w/o Kids
Scattered throughout the older neighborhoods of small cities, Sunset City Blues is a segment of lower-middle-class singles and couples who have retired or are getting close to it. These empty nesters tend to own their homes but have modest educations and incomes. They maintain a low-key lifestyle filled with newspapers and television by day and family-style restaurants at night.

2007 Statistics:
US Households: 1,889,008 (1.66%)
Median Household Income: $38,280

Lifestyle Traits:
Belong to a veterans' club, Eat at casual/buffet restaurant, CBS Sunday Night Movie TV, Price is Right TV, Mercury Grand Marquis

Demographics Traits:
Age Ranges: Age 55+
Homeownership: Homeowners
Employment Levels: Mostly Retired
Education Levels: High School Grad
Ethnic Diversity: White, Black, Mix

Family Thrifts
Lower-Mid, Younger w/ Kids
The small-city cousins of inner-city districts, Family Thrifts contain young, ethnically diverse parents who have lots of children and work entry-level service jobs. In these apartment-filled neighborhoods, visitors find the streets jam-packed with babies and toddlers, tricycles and basketball hoops, Daewoos and Hyundais.

2007 Statistics:
US Households: 1,895,774 (1.67%)
Median Household Income: $29,787

Lifestyle Traits
Buy rap music, Eat fast food, Vibe magazine, Toon Disney channel, Kia Spectra

Demographics Traits:
Age Ranges: Age 25-44
Homeownership: Mix, Renters
Employment Levels: White Collar, Service, Mix
Education Levels: High School Grad
Ethnic Diversity: White, Black, Hispanic

Hometown Retired
Low Income, Mature Mostly w/o Kids
With three-quarters of all residents over 65 years old, Hometown Retired is one of the oldest segments. These racially diverse seniors tend to live in aging homes--half were built before 1958--and typically get by on social security and pensions. Because most never made it beyond high school and spent their working lives at blue-collar jobs, their retirements are extremely modest.

2007 Statistics:
US Households: 1,249,908 (1.10%)
Median Household Income: $26,682

Lifestyle Traits:
Eat at Golden Corral, Watch soap operas, CBS Sunday Night Movie TV, Montel Williams Show TV, Chrysler Sebring

Demographics Traits:
Age Ranges: Age 65+
Homeownership: Homeowners
Employment Levels: Mostly Retired
Education Levels: Some High School
Ethnic Diversity: White, Black, Mix

Mobility Blues
Low Income, Younger w/o Kids
Mobility Blues is a segment of young singles in working-class neighborhoods in America's satellite cities. Ethnically diverse and young, these transient Americans tend to have modest lifestyles due to their lower-income jobs. Surveys show they excel in going to movies, playing basketball, and shooting pool.

2007 Statistics:
US Households: 1,326,675 (1.17%)
Median Household Income: $28,614

Lifestyle Traits:
Go to college basketball games, Shop at Express, WWE Magazine (wrestling), George Michael Sports Machine TV, Kia Rio

Demographics Traits:
Income Producing Assets: Low
Age Ranges: Age under 35
Homeownership: Mix, Renters
Employment Levels: White Collar, Mix
Education Levels: Some College
Ethnic Diversity: White, Black, Asian, Hispanic

Source: Nielsen PRIZM