City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 8.5% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $108,500 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,735 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Rockford, IL ($125,431 → $118,984), while prices change by −7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,183 in Rockford | $108,479 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,735/yr.
95 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$1,735/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Allentown → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $68,999 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $83,482 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $100,059 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $118,984 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $140,604 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $64,200 | $69,644 (−11.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $107,640 | $116,767 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $75,260 | $81,642 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $80,930 | $87,792 (−13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.