Belvidere, IL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Illinois·Belvidere

Boone County · Rockford · population 25,325

First-time buyersInvestors
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
75
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Belvidere stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 6.8% in the last year. averaging 7.8% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $257,971
1-year +6.8%
5-yr CAGR +7.8%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.0%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$258k$116k$167k$218k$268k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
78/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 10.8
Buy

At a 10.8 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Belvidere on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 10.8 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
81 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
78 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
45 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
78 · w10%
Long thesis

Belvidere has averaged 7.8% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+6.8% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Belvidere's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Belvidere

Belvidere is a city in Boone County, Illinois, with an estimated population of 25,325. It anchors the Rockford metro area. The median home value in Belvidere is $257,971 as of 2026-04, up 6.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Belvidere average $1,995 per month. The composite momentum score is 75 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Trend still working: prices up 6.8% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
●Healthy 5-year run: +7.8% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Boone County right now.

NWS active alerts (IL)Illinois Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Boone County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Belvidere

Deerfield, IL71 · RisingWauconda, IL72 · RisingRantoul, IL74 · RisingZion, IL77 · Rising

Run the numbers for Belvidere

ToolCan I afford Belvidere?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Belvidere rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Belvidere to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolBelvidere cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
33° / 18°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
189
~52% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
22″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Belvidere listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Rockford area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$78,400
Illinois state median
Top industries (state-level)
FinanceManufacturingHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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