City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 8.8% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $108,800 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Detroit, MI and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $806 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Detroit, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Rockford, IL ($117,402 → $118,984), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.3% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,880 in Rockford | $108,837 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$806/yr.
96 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$806/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Rockford, IL | Real change, Detroit → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $68,999 | +10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $83,482 | +10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $100,059 | +10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $118,984 | +10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $140,604 | +10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $64,200 | $69,874 (+7.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $107,640 | $117,153 (−10.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $75,260 | $81,911 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $80,930 | $88,082 (−9.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.