A new study by Insurify.com took a look at several factors, including real estate demand, employment levels, public school enrollment, driver and pedestrian safety and more to come up with a winning city in each state.

We've all been treated to the old adage of "location, location, location" when it comes to many things in life, and that holds particularly true when it comes to where you're going to be happy in a new home. For those of us who live, work, and play in the Rockford area, we should feel pretty good knowing that Rockford checks the boxes when it comes to delivering what a new homebuyer is looking for.

According to their press release, the research team at Insurify.com (they're a home insurance comparison website) focused on data from Realtor.com:

...for statistics on real estate popularity and home value growth across U.S. cities. Cities with hotter real estate markets and positively trending home values received a higher score. Public school enrollment statistics and the unemployment rate in each city, provided by the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent American Community Survey, were the defining variables in education and employment levels, respectively.

While Rockford's numbers weren't the biggest and best in the country, they were more than enough to lock in the number-one ranking here in Illinois as the best place for new homebuyers to put down some roots.

Taking a look at the rest of our Midwestern neighbors, these were the top choices in surrounding states.

  • Wisconsin: Racine
  • Iowa: Waterloo
  • Missouri: Jefferson City
  • Indiana: Fort Wayne
  • Michigan: Monroe

I called our good friend Greg Saunders, Buyer Specialist with Keller Williams Realty Signature Team SoldOnToni.com and asked him why he thinks the Rockford area is great place for new homebuyers:

Me: Greg, why do people choose to come here to Rockford?

Greg Saunders: Number one seems to be cost of living. In the last few years, I've worked with numerous buyers that moved here after doing their own research on the most affordable places to live. Rockford routinely hits near the top of that list.

Me: There's got to be more to it than just cost of living, right?

Greg Saunders: Number two would be those moving back to Rockford after leaving for locales that they thought they would like better. "Too hot" has been heard a lot.

Me: And the number three reason would be what?

Greg Saunders: It's our small town feel with big city amenities. It's great being so close to Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago, too.

 

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