City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Chattanooga, TN (91.5) and Rockford, IL (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN goes as far as $100,800 in Rockford, IL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.0% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much 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
| Chattanooga, TN | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,754 in Rockford | $99,251 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
66 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN 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 Chattanooga, TN to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Rockford, IL | Real change, Chattanooga → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $64,200 | $63,719 (+6.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $107,640 | $106,834 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $75,260 | $74,696 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $80,930 | $80,324 (+0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.