City comparison
Boston, MA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 17.5% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $117,500 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.3% moving from Boston, MA to Rockford, IL ($120,548 → $118,984), while prices change by −14.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.0% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,118 in Rockford | $117,484 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$25/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.9%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$25/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Boston → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $68,999 | +16.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $83,482 | +16.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $100,059 | +16.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $118,984 | +16.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $140,604 | +16.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $64,200 | $75,425 (−23.1%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $107,640 | $126,460 (−23.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $75,260 | $88,418 (−11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $80,930 | $95,080 (−10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.