City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 3.8% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $103,800 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,885 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Rockford, IL ($107,428 → $118,984), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.0% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (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
| Indianapolis, IN | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,299 in Rockford | $103,844 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,885/yr.
81 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,885/yr.
57 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Rockford, IL | Real change, Indianapolis → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $68,999 | +15.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $83,482 | +15.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $100,059 | +15.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $118,984 | +15.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $140,604 | +15.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $98,060 | $119,400 | $123,989 (+26.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $107,640 | $111,777 (+4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $75,260 | $78,153 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $80,930 | $84,041 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.