Uprootmap
Rockford vs Dubuque
Rockford and Dubuque
Photo: Corey Coyle / Wikimedia, CC BY 3.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Dubuque are under the US rate in this release, 1.6 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Rockford to Dubuque
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Rockford to Dubuque above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $940 in Rockford and $806 in Dubuque. Rockford has a state tax on wages. Dubuque has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Dubuque is 92% of the national level for the same work, against 89% in Rockford.
Dubuque averages 204 sunny days, with July highs around 82°F and January nights around 18°F. Rockford is 195 sunny days, 82°F in July, 19°F in January. Commutes average 17 minutes in Dubuque and 24 in Rockford.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
+$438 / mo
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Rockford → Dubuque pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Rockford and Dubuque changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 113 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,650–$3,100
- Container or pod
- $1,100–$2,050
- Rent a truck
- $400–$750
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Dig into Dubuque
Questions
Is Dubuque cheaper than Rockford after tax and rent?
Yes. Dubuque leaves about $438 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $940 in Rockford and $806 in Dubuque.
Does Dubuque have state income tax?
Dubuque is in Iowa, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Rockford to Dubuque?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.