City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fayetteville, NC (92.0) and Rockford, IL (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC goes as far as $100,200 in Rockford, IL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, NC and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,324 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Rockford, IL ($111,147 → $118,984), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.8% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (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
| Fayetteville, NC | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,191 in Rockford | $99,809 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,324/yr.
68 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,324/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Rockford, IL | Real change, Fayetteville → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $68,999 | +6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $83,482 | +6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $100,059 | +6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $118,984 | +6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $140,604 | +6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $64,200 | $64,077 (+17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $107,640 | $107,434 (−12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $75,260 | $75,116 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $80,930 | $80,775 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.