Rock Island is home to the largest arsenal in the U.S.
On the Illinois and Iowa border between the Mississippi and Rock rivers, Rock Island is part of the Quad Cities region, with a densely populated downtown, historic homes and a growing riverfront scene. The city began to thrive in the 1850s when railroads built their first bridge across the Mississippi, making the settlement a funnel to the west. Its railroad and industrial history is intertwined with military history, as the site of the U.S. Army's Rock Island Arsenal, a producer of weapons since the Civil War and today the largest government-owned arsenal in the country. The history of the city connects with its housing, especially near the Rock Island's core. “Rock Island’s housing market is well-established, with many older and historic homes,'' says Cheyenne Khounnha, a Realtor with Landmark Realty of Illinois. "While there is some new development, it’s slow and limited to a few pockets or infill lots. These days, people who move to Rock Island want one of two things: either to live in rural areas on the edge of the city where they can get a few acres for a great price, or to live in the city so they have a reasonable commute to Davenport or the other Quad Cities.”
Downtown Rock Island is a great place to take in scenic sunset views on the Mississippi.
Rows of classic American Foursquares from the turn of the century are common in Broadway.
1/2
The U.S. Army employs more than 6,000 people in Rock Island
Rock Island Arsenal was established in 1862 by an act of Congress after 50 years as a weapons depot during the War of 1812. The U.S. Army and more than 80 tenant companies operate in Rock Island, employing more than 6,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel. New businesses in Rock Island include Great Revivalist Brewery, which is expected to open in 2025. Green Current Solutions is a plastics company using recycled ocean raw materials.
Bent River Brewing Company in Greenbush prides itself on brewing the best ale in the Quad Cities
Rock Island Arsenal is one of Rock Island's largest employers.
1/2
Conservation areas, parks and museums focus on preservation
Rock Island Conservation Club maintains 120 privately owned acres near the confluence of the city's rivers for camping, canoeing, fishing and hiking . The Quad City Botanical Center faces the Mississippi River and operated year-round gardens. Schwiebert Riverfront Park attracts visitors to concerts, riverfront trails and a river-viewing sites. Augustana College’s Fryxell Geology Museum showcases a 22-foot-long Cryolophosaurus, discovered by a university geologist in Antarctica in 1991.
Quad City Botanical Center offers displays, camps, and more in Downtown Rock Island.
Schwiebert Riverfront Park in Downtown Rock Island is a great place to cool off in the summer.
1/2
Historic homes attract renovators and old-house lovers
Narrow streets showcase homes from the 1860s to the 2020s across the city. Older homes are found in the urban neighborhoods of Douglas Park and Longview. Queen Anne and Victorian homes line cobblestone streets in Broadway. Historic Keystone, which fronts the Mississippi River, features Sears kit homes, sold through mail order catalogs from around 1910 to 1942, along with Foursquares and Craftsman-style bungalows. While the median sales price of homes in Rock Island is $135,000, outliers have reached into six figures.
The John Looney House is one of Broadway's many historic homes and a historic landmark.
Douglas Park homes are offered in a variety of styles and sizes.
1/2
Thriving shops and restaurants in downtown and riverfront event destinations
Downtown is the center of activity for dining and shopping, supported by the city's Rock Island Downtown Alliance, which was formed in 2023 in support of city-center businesses. Events are planned throughout the year to help attract visitors, which is situated immediately across the Mississippi from Davenport, Iowa. About 6 miles south of the city center, locals can enjoy an evening or a weekend at Bally’s Quad Cities Casino & Hotel. Summer is the best time to explore the Mississippi River. The Celebration Belle, a 750-passenger paddlewheel boat, is the most historic option. Lunch and dinner cruises are held from April through September.
Open Stage Night at Theo's Java Cafe in Downtown Rock Island lets locals share their voice.
Downtown Rock Island is very walkable, with wide sidewalks and plenty to see.
1/2
Warm summers and cold winters but few extremes
Summers in the Quad City region tend to be hot and humid, while winters in the northern latitudes can be windy and cold as arctic storms plunge south from the northwest. Spring thaws upriver from the Quad Cities puts the region at risk for river floods.
Rates of reported violent crimes and property crimes vary in Rock Island but have remained above state and national averages since 2021.
Rock Island School District No. 41 serves 6,200 students
Rock Island School District No. 41 earns a B grade from Niche and an A-plus for the diversity of its students and is ranked the No. 1 district in the state. The district operates five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. Private schools in Rock Island include Alleman Catholic High School and Jordan Catholic School. Augustana College was established in 1875 to support a growing Swedish population. Today, it is a 4-year college with 2,500 students.
Rock Island High School serves secondary students in Rock Island.
Augustana College is the centerpoint of College Circle.
1/2
Rock Island and the Interstate
Illinois Route 92 runs alongside the Mississippi River from the city's southwest edge directly east toward LaMoille. Interstate 74 crosses the Rock River and the Mississippi River in a north-south direction and runs from Moline to Danville. Interstate 280 is the western and southern highway around the Quad Cities. The Quad Cities International Airport is 7 miles southeast of Augustana College and offers daily nonstop flights to Chicago, Dallas and Denver.
On average, homes in Rock Island, IL sell after 33 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Rock Island, IL over the last 12 months is $135,200, up 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Austin loves working with buyers and sellers across Iowa and Illinois! As a second-generation Realtor, he has seen a wide array of real estate markets over the years and knows how to successfully navigate current market trends to get the best for his clients. During his six years of missionary work overseas, Austin was able to work with people from a variety of languages, backgrounds, and beliefs, and he greatly values being able to continue that same work in his career as a real estate agent. If you or a friend are looking for an agent who will work hard for your needs and care for you as a person and not just as a transaction, then look no further!
Need a local lending contact? Reach out to our preferred Quad Cities mortgage broker! Tammy S Ernst Financial Strategist 563-271-2624 tammyernstlending@gmail.com
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
