City comparison
Flint, MI vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Flint, MI (93.0) and Rockford, IL (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Flint, MI goes as far as $99,100 in Rockford, IL.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $856 a month in Flint, MI and $895 in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $806 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Flint, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.3% moving from Flint, MI to Rockford, IL ($117,402 → $118,984), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Flint, MI: price level 93.0 (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
| Flint, MI | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.0 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,054 in Rockford | $100,955 in Flint |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $856/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 | 14% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,880 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Flint, MI MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Flint, MI and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Flint | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.0 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 97.1 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 93.0 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Flint, MI → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$806/yr.
72 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Flint, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$806/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Flint, 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 Flint, MI to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Flint, MI | Rockford, IL | Real change, Flint → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $68,999 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $83,482 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $100,059 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $118,984 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $140,604 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Flint, MI | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Flint dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,620 | $64,200 | $64,813 (−1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,750 | $107,640 | $108,668 (+6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,500 | $75,260 | $75,979 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,780 | $80,930 | $81,703 (−16.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.