City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Memphis, TN (92.2) and Rockford, IL (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Memphis, TN goes as far as $100,000 in Rockford, IL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Memphis, TN to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by −0.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.8% in real buying power.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (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
| Memphis, TN | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,973 in Rockford | $100,027 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
69 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Memphis, TN 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 Memphis, TN to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Rockford, IL | Real change, Memphis → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +11.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +11.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +11.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +11.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +11.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $64,200 | $64,217 (+4.4%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $107,640 | $107,669 (−14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $75,260 | $75,280 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $80,930 | $80,952 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.