City comparison
Crestview, FL vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Crestview, FL are 5.3% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $105,300 in Crestview, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Crestview, FL versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Crestview, FL and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Crestview, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Crestview, FL to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.7% in real buying power.
- Crestview, FL: price level 97.0 (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
| Crestview, FL | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,974 in Rockford | $105,292 in Crestview |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,510 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Crestview | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.9 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Crestview, FL → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
85 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Crestview, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Crestview, FL 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 Crestview, FL to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Crestview, FL | Rockford, IL | Real change, Crestview → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +17.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +17.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +17.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +17.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +17.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Crestview, FL | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Crestview dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,330 | $64,200 | $67,598 (+12.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,640 | $107,640 | $113,337 (−13.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,510 | $75,260 | $79,243 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,260 | $80,930 | $85,213 (+4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.