10 Unwritten Rules for Living in Rockford, Illinois

Living in Rockford comes with its own sacred scroll of unwritten rules—forget the 10 Commandments; in Rockford, the real rules are whispered over pizza and passed down like a well-guarded garage sale location.

Every Community Has Unwritten Rules

An unwritten rule is like that sneaky guideline everyone follows but no one actually talks about. It’s not officially written down anywhere, but it’s understood, passed on through word of mouth, side-eye glances, or shared experiences.

These rules govern everyday behaviors, and breaking them can lead to anything from awkward silences to full-blown social excommunication. Think of it as the invisible handbook of life—whether it’s always holding the door for someone or never taking the last donut at the office. Everyone just knows, and if you don’t, well, you’ll find out soon enough

MORE: How Did the City of Rockford, Illinois Get Its Name?

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Rockford's Eyewitness News recently asked the following question on their Facebook page:

"What is an unspoken rule for living in Rockford?"

Before looking at any of the over 700 comments, I knew that a revision of the 10 Commandments for Living in Rockford published to this website in 2022 was coming.

I'm no lawmaker but I think we can agree, that these are the unwritten, unspoken, commandments, whatever you want to call them, for living in Rockford.

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