Moody’s assessment results in upgraded Rock Island County credit rating

A recent independent assessment by Moody’s resulted in a credit rating upgrade for Rock Island
County, from A1 to Aa3, according to a news release.

A local government’s credit rating is an independent assessment by a rating agency of that government’s ability and willingness to meet its debt obligations. A sign of financial stability, a credit rating upgrade positively impacts a local government’s ability to borrow when necessary, as well as lowers costs related to that borrowing.

According to Moody’s, the Aa3 issuer rating reflects the county's strong financial position and stable leverage following years of consistent improvement. The recent upgrade is the third upgrade and fourth overall improvement Rock Island County has received from Moody’s since 2020:

• 2020 – Negative outlook removed from A3 rating
• 2021 – Upgraded from A3 to A2
• 2024 – Upgraded from A2 to A1
• 2026 – Upgraded from A1 to Aa3.

The county has also received these Two-Notch Upgrades from S&P since 2021:

• 2021 – Upgraded from BBB+ to A (positive outlook) (two notch upgrade)
• 2023 – Upgraded from A to AA- (positive outlook) (two notch upgrade.)

Over roughly the same period, since 2022, the county has reduced its property tax levy rate each year, for the last four years in a row, offsetting nearly all of the county’s portion of the increase in EAVs (Equalized Assesses Values).

“Had the County Board maintained the same property tax levy rate from 2019, the county would be collecting an additional $16M in property taxes. That is significant, considering that Rock Island County collected just over $34 million in 2025 for county government operations," said County Administrator Jim Grafton.

“Fiscal stability isn't built in a silo. This momentum is the direct result of collaborative teamwork across county operations. By working together to identify efficiencies, manage costs, and modernize our processes, our team has put the County on its strongest financial footing in years," said County CFO Ryan Berger.

County Board Chairman Richard “Quijas” Brunk sighted a new approach to doing things, teamwork, as well as some tough decisions and well managed opportunities, for the county’s financial stability.

“We will continue to work with a continuous improvement mindset, engaging best practices in fiscal planning, processes, and operations, for the residents of Rock Island County," said Brunk.

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