City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 13.4% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $113,400 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $419 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Baltimore, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.3% moving from Baltimore, MD to Rockford, IL ($121,785 → $118,984), while prices change by −11.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.8% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,197 in Rockford | $113,383 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$419/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$419/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Rockford, IL | Real change, Baltimore → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $68,999 | +10.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $83,482 | +10.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $100,059 | +10.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $118,984 | +10.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $140,604 | +10.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $64,200 | $72,792 (−4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $107,640 | $122,045 (−12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $75,260 | $85,332 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $80,930 | $91,761 (−7.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.