Rock Falls is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, home to about 8,587 people across 4.0 square miles. Its ZIP code is 61071.
Homes sold for a median of $109 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Rock Falls. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Rock Falls’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Rock Falls well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)93 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD)43 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Madison, WI92 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL103 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Rock Falls; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Rock Falls had 8,789 residents in the 2020 census, down 8% since 2000.
It’s the 251st largest of 1,450 towns in Illinois by population.
Whiteside County grew from 34,710 residents in 1900 to 55,691 in 2020.
Whiteside County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 14°F. About 40.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 31 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Dixon 1w, IL weather station (10 miles away).
17,838 jobs at 1,158 businesses in Whiteside County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
55 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Rock Falls.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 7 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 2 |
| Dentists | 11 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 9 |
| Mental health providers | 15 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 8 |
| Pharmacies | 2 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (15 nearby)
Grocery stores
Pharmacies
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by East Coloma - Nelson CESD 20, Rock Falls ESD 13, Montmorency CCSD 145 and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Coloma - Nelson Elem SchRock Falls | Pre-K–8 | 214 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| Riverdale PreSchool CenterRock Falls | Pre-K | 145 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Dillon Elementary SchoolRock Falls | K–2 | 278 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Montmorency CCSD #145Rock Falls | K–8 | 209 | Public | 3.2 mi |
| Thome Ed SchoolRock Falls | K–12 | — | Special Education | 0.9 mi |
| Merrill Elem SchoolRock Falls | 3–5 | 258 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Regional Center for ChangeRock Falls | 6–12 | — | Alternative Education | 0.9 mi |
| Regional Center For Change ALOPRock Falls | 6–12 | — | Alternative Education | 0.9 mi |
| Rock Falls Middle SchoolRock Falls | 6–8 | 246 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Rock Falls Township High SchoolRock Falls | 9–12 | 530 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Bi-County-Jr HS LIfe Skills-RockRock Falls | — | — | Special Education | 0.6 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Andrew Catholic Elementary SchoolRock Falls | Pre-K–8 | 84 | Roman Catholic | 0.7 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Rock Falls? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.