City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 3.6% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $103,600 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,838 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Columbus, OH to Rockford, IL ($111,065 → $118,984), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.0% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,528 in Rockford | $103,597 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,838/yr.
80 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,838/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Rockford, IL | Real change, Columbus → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $68,999 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $83,482 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $100,059 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $118,984 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $140,604 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $64,200 | $66,509 (−14.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $107,640 | $111,512 (−8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $75,260 | $77,967 (−4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $80,930 | $83,841 (−0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.