Untitled photo, 2010
Rapids City’s story
169 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2006.
- 1857Rapids City is settled
Rapids CityIL
A town of 939, settled in 1857.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
939
2025 Census estimate · −0.8% since 2020
Typical home
$247K
+9.2% in a year
Household income
$83K
median
Median age
49.9
years
Jobs based here
139
A commuter town
Is Rapids City a good place to live?
Rapids City’s median age is 49.9 years, where Illinois’ towns sit at 40.7 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. Rapids City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
939 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Port ByronPort Byron TownshipHampton TownshipRapids City
Nearby attractions
All 21 attractions →Rock Island Arsenal and 11 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Rapids City. Close and well known come first.
11 mi Ancient siteRock Island Arsenal
14 mi MuseumBlack Hawk State Historic Site
13 mi MuseumFigge Art Museum77K visitors a year11 mi Zoo & aquariumNiabi Zoo
14 mi MuseumPutnam Museum
12 mi GardenVander Veer Botanical ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Rock Island Arsenal: Robert A, Ryan, J. Ceronia, and Bruce A. Harms, Photographers, Public domain · Black Hawk State Historic Site: Bill Whittaker (talk). Original uploader was Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Figge Art Museum: Ctjf83, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Putnam Museum: Ctjf83 of English Wikipedia (log), Public domain · Vander Veer Botanical Park: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Rapids City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Rapids City, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy10.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRapids City water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Rapids City’s trash rules yet
SchoolsUnited Township High School District 30Riverdale Community Unit School District 1002 districts serve Rapids City; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereRock Island County ClerkRock Island County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes61278, 6127561278 72% · 61275 28%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Rapids City.
Natural hazards
Rapids City has a very high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 83% of U.S. communities. Flood insurance has paid out on 5 claims in Rapids City since 1993. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 58% come from inland flooding and 15% from cold waves. Federal aid has come to Rapids City households in 4 declared disasters; the latest was in 2019.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
5
paid flood claims since 1993
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
With only 0.3 jobs per working resident, most people in Rapids City work out of town
1% of working residents work locally in Rapids City, below both the Illinois town median (8.3%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). The town had 139 jobs in 2023, up 116 from 2013. Also worth knowing: the share of residents in Rapids City who live below the poverty line: 3.3%. Half of commuters travel less than 13 miles.
1%work in town
| Rapids City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Rapids City1%
Davenport15%
East Moline8%
Moline7%
Rock Island6%
13 mi
median commute distance
139
jobs based in Rapids City
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Rapids City has four seasons and pleasant summers
Summer afternoons peak near 84° in July, and January nights bottom out around 14°; snowfall runs to about 28 inches a winter. Rapids City brings cold winters and warm summers.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–33°
Spring40–61°
Summer63–83°
Fall43–63°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
A larger share of households in Rapids City are owner-occupiers than in the typical Illinois or U.S. town
The typical Rapids City home is worth about $247,000, up 9.2% in a year, 17% below the Illinois typical home.
$247KZillow home value
Typical home value
Rapids City$247K
Illinois$296K
+9.2%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
How healthy Rapids City is
Rapids City: 19% of adults binge drink. Two figures for adults here: 16% smoke cigarettes, 39% have obesity.
| Rapids City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
5 better19 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Rapids City | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.2% | 13.2% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.7% | 9.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.9% | 6.3% |
Genesis Medical Center-Illini
6.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Conservation land takes up 0.9% of Rapids City
Rapids City has 4 parks and preserves, 17 acres in all.
0.9%conserved
0.9%
conserved · 9 of 1,034 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. River Bend Park | — | 7 |
| 2. Shadow Hill Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Sulphur Creek Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rapids City
17pages on Rapids City
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
7 within 15 miles of the center of Rapids City
Black Hawk CollegeCommunity college · Public · Moline9 mi$4,920 in-state tuitionOrion Technical CollegeUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Davenport, IA9.8 mi$15,600 tuitionAugustana CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Rock Island12.1 mi$51,598 tuition
About 6 of every 100 Rapids City residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Rapids City for work
Where Rapids City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
139jobs based in Rapids City
1%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Rapids City
Village in Illinois, United States
Rapids City is a village in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 964 at the time of the 2020 census; up from 959 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 584 ft
- ZIP code
- 61278
Questions about Rapids City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Rapids City, IL a good place to live?
Rapids City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.