City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 12.4% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $112,400 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Both are in IL, so estimated state income tax is the same: $4,805 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $118,984 in either. A transfer from Chicago, IL to Rockford, IL changes real buying power by +12.4%, purely from prices.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (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
| Chicago, IL | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,956 in Rockford | $112,415 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Rockford, IL | Real change, Chicago → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $68,999 | +12.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $83,482 | +12.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $100,059 | +12.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $118,984 | +12.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $140,604 | +12.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $64,200 | $72,170 (−7.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $107,640 | $121,004 (−10.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $75,260 | $84,604 (+2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $80,930 | $90,978 (−9.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.