City comparison
Madison, WI vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 6.6% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $106,600 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $886 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in Madison, WI.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Madison, WI to Peoria, IL changes real buying power by +6.6%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,775 in Peoria | $106,638 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$886/yr.
89 Strong offer
Peoria, IL → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$886/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Peoria, IL | Real change, Madison → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $57,440 | $61,253 (−3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $130,590 | $139,259 (+6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $79,540 | $84,820 (+4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $81,010 | $86,388 (−14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.