City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 4.7% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $104,700 in Asheville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,324 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Asheville, NC to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.1% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Asheville, NC | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,490 in Rockford | $104,723 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,324/yr.
84 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,324/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Rockford, IL | Real change, Asheville → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +17.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +17.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +17.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +17.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +17.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $64,200 | $67,232 (+34.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $107,640 | $112,723 (−16.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $75,260 | $78,814 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $80,930 | $84,752 (+3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.