City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 8.4% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $108,400 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $625 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in Atlantic City, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Peoria, IL ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,286 in Peoria | $108,359 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$625/yr.
95 Strong offer
Peoria, IL → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$625/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Peoria, IL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Peoria, IL | Real change, Atlantic City → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $57,440 | $62,241 (−22.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $130,590 | $141,506 (+11.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $79,540 | $86,189 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $81,010 | $87,782 (−11.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.