Roof replacement cost in Rockford, IL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (2,000 sq ft of roof)
- $6,800 – $13,400
- Per sq ft of roof
- $3.35 – $6.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +9%
- US $9,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #48
- 1 = most expensive
Rockford homeowners pay roughly $6,800 to $13,400 to replace a roof at 2,000 sq ft of roof, or $3.35 to $6.50 per sq ft of roof (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Rockford is 9% higher. Roofers earn a median of $31.30 an hour in the Rockford area, 17% above the US median of $26.65.
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Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Rockford, IL, standard level
$8,800 to $11,400
About $4.30 to $5.55 per sq ft of roof before permits. Labor is about 67% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,450 | $3,750 |
| Labor | $6,150 | $7,350 |
| Permits and fees | $200 | $350 |
| Total | $8,800 | $11,400 |
Cost breakdown for 2,000 sq ft of roof in Rockford, IL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,500 | $3,100 | $4,700 | 31% |
| Labor | $5,200 | $6,750 | $8,300 | 67% |
| Permits and fees | $90 | $280 | $460 | 3% |
| Total | $6,800 | $10,100 | $13,400 | 100% |
What is behind the Rockford number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: roofers at 85%, construction laborers at 15%. Weighted together, Rockford wages are 1.18 times the national level. Labor makes up about 67% of the midpoint estimate (61% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Rockford metro is 93.6 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 2,000 sq ft of roof comes to $3,100, compared with $3,300 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (92.2) and land at $90 to $460.
Planning more than one job in Rockford?
Because every project leans on different trades, Rockford's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, metal roof runs +8% and attic insulation −2%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal roof | 2,000 sq ft of roof | $11,600 – $34,700 | +8% |
| Gutters | 160 linear ft | $1,400 – $4,350 | +5% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $9,050 – $27,200 | +8% |
| Attic insulation | 1,000 sq ft | $1,000 – $3,900 | −2% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: roof replacement pricing in Rockford
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Rockford wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$6,800 to $9,450
3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof
Standard
$8,800 to $11,400
Architectural shingles, standard pitch and tear-off
Premium
$10,800 to $13,400
Heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small (1,200 sq ft of roof) | $4,100 – $5,750 | $5,350 – $7,000 | $6,600 – $8,250 |
| average (2,000 sq ft of roof) | $6,800 – $9,450 | $8,800 – $11,400 | $10,800 – $13,400 |
| large (2,800 sq ft of roof) | $9,500 – $13,100 | $12,200 – $15,900 | $15,000 – $18,600 |
| very large (3,600 sq ft of roof) | $12,200 – $16,800 | $15,700 – $20,300 | $19,200 – $23,800 |
When to schedule roof in Rockford
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Rockford Gtr Rockford Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
March through November is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Rockford (9 of 12 months). January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Rockford gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 37 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.2 inches in June). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 2.4 and 2.3 inches. The station averages about 15 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | 15 | 1.6 | Cold |
| Feb | 33 | 18 | 1.6 | Cold |
| Mar | 47 | 28 | 2.4 | Workable |
| Apr | 60 | 39 | 3.8 | Workable |
| May | 71 | 50 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jun | 81 | 60 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 84 | 64 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 82 | 62 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Sep | 75 | 54 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Oct | 62 | 42 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Nov | 47 | 31 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Dec | 34 | 20 | 1.9 | Cold |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Rockford is 1.18 times the national level.
For roofers (47-2181, weighted 85%) the local median is $31.30 an hour, which is 17% above the national $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $23.18 and $41.67 an hour. BLS counts 180 of them working in the area, 13.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 8.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 15% of the weighting: a median of $28.07 an hour, 24% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.55 and $38.91 an hour. About 830 work in the metro. That is 60.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the roofers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($41.67 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $1,900. At the 25th percentile ($23.18) it shrinks by about $1,500. The total moves by 18.6% or 14.6%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 137,650 jobs in the Rockford area. That makes it the 161st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.09% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofers (47-2181) | 85% | $23.18 | $31.30 | $41.67 | $26.65 | 1.17 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $22.55 | $28.07 | $38.91 | $22.66 | 1.24 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.18 | |||||
Roof replacement: what moves the price in Rockford
Tear-off and layers
Removing a second layer or rotted decking adds cost, and the contractor can only see decking damage after tear-off.
Tear-off
Removing the old roof is $1-$5 per sq ft depending on the material and number of layers (HomeGuide). Check that your quote includes it.
Permit
Roof replacement permits run $100-$500 depending on the location.
How Rockford compares
Same job, same size (2,000 sq ft of roof), priced for the nearest metros. Rockford is the priciest of the group. Racine is the cheapest at $9,650.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, ILthis page | $6,800 – $13,400 | $10,100 | |
| Janesville, WI25 miles | $6,650 – $13,200 | $9,900 | −2% |
| Madison, WI60 miles | $6,500 – $13,000 | $9,750 | −4% |
| Kenosha, WI60 miles | $6,500 – $13,300 | $9,900 | −2% |
| Racine, WI70 miles | $6,450 – $12,900 | $9,650 | −4% |
| Milwaukee, WI70 miles | $6,450 – $12,900 | $9,700 | −4% |
| Illinois (statewide) | $7,850 – $15,400 | $11,600 | +15% |
| United States | $6,100 – $12,500 | $9,300 | −8% |
Across 300 US metros, Rockford comes in at #48 from the top. The priciest is Worcester, MA at $13,800; the cheapest is El Paso, TX at $7,200 (midpoints, 2,000 sq ft of roof). Statewide, Rockford is 13% below the Illinois figure.
Other Illinois metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | 4,513,280 jobs | $8,200 – $16,000 | $12,100 | +20% |
| Peoria, IL | 166,020 jobs | $7,650 – $14,800 | $11,200 | +11% |
| Champaign, IL | 105,500 jobs | $6,500 – $12,900 | $9,700 | −4% |
| Springfield, IL | 100,810 jobs | $7,700 – $14,900 | $11,300 | +12% |
| Bloomington, IL | 88,110 jobs | $7,700 – $14,900 | $11,300 | +11% |
Cities with a workforce like Rockford's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Rockford against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 139,260 jobs | $5,500 – $11,400 | $8,400 | −17% |
| Evansville, IN | 135,250 jobs | $6,400 – $12,800 | $9,600 | −5% |
| Huntington, WV | 140,740 jobs | $5,550 – $11,500 | $8,550 | −16% |
| Flint, MI | 135,040 jobs | $7,150 – $14,000 | $10,600 | +5% |
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Roof replacement in Rockford: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a roof in Rockford?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, expect $6,800 to $13,400 in the Rockford area. A standard-spec job lands at $8,800 to $11,400. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft of roof and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft of roof for roof in Rockford?
About $3.35 to $6.50 per sq ft of roof for materials and labor, plus $90 to $460 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $3 to $6.
+Is roof cheaper in Rockford or Janesville?
Janesville is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 2,000 sq ft of roof there is $9,900, which is 2% less than Rockford ($10,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Rockford?
About 67% at the midpoint, or $6,750 out of $10,100. Materials are 31% and permits 3%. Nationally, labor is 61%.
+What would large (2,800 sq ft of roof) cost in Rockford?
$9,500 to $18,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does roof need a permit in Rockford?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $90 to $460 for fees in the Rockford area (our national range of $100 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Rockford expensive for roof compared with the rest of Illinois?
Rockford is 13% below the Illinois statewide estimate ($11,600 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Illinois; see the state page to compare them.
+What do roofers earn in Rockford?
The BLS median is $31.30 an hour in the Rockford area, compared with $26.65 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.18 to $41.67.
+What do basic and premium roof work cost in Rockford?
For 2,000 sq ft of roof, basic work runs $6,800 to $9,450 and premium work $10,800 to $13,400. Basic means: 3-tab shingles, single layer, simple roof. Premium means: heavy architectural, steep or cut-up roof, decking repairs.
+When is the best time to replace a roof in Rockford?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are March through November. March and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Roof replacement near Rockford
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Roof Replacement Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = HomeGuide's asphalt shingle price of $80-$250 per roofing square (100 sq ft), i.e. $0.80-$2.50 per sq ft. The rest of the installed price covers roofer labor ($1.50-$3.00/sq ft), tear-off, disposal, underlayment and contractor overhead.