City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 15.3% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $115,300 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,114 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Peoria, IL ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.4% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,720 in Peoria | $115,314 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,114/yr.
100 Strong offer
Peoria, IL → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.3%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,114/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Peoria, IL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Peoria, IL | Real change, Boulder → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $57,440 | $66,236 (−17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $130,590 | $150,588 (−8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $79,540 | $91,721 (−8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $81,010 | $93,416 (−9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.