City comparison
Gulfport, MS vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rockford, IL are 2.4% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $102,400 in Rockford, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $923 a month in Gulfport, MS and $895 in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,537 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Gulfport, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Gulfport, MS to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.2% in real buying power.
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (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
| Gulfport, MS | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,387 in Rockford | $97,669 in Gulfport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $923/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,470 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gulfport | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.9 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 76.3 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gulfport, MS → Rockford, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,537/yr.
61 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,537/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gulfport, MS 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 Gulfport, MS to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gulfport, MS | Rockford, IL | Real change, Gulfport → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gulfport, MS | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Gulfport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,820 | $64,200 | $62,704 (+23.4%) |
| Software Developers | $104,240 | $107,640 | $105,131 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,380 | $75,260 | $73,506 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,960 | $80,930 | $79,044 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.