City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 13.7% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $113,700 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $471 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Rockford, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Rockford, IL ($116,038 → $118,984), while prices change by −12.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.6% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,915 in Rockford | $113,747 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$471/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$471/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Rockford, IL | Real change, Minneapolis → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $68,999 | +16.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $83,482 | +16.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $100,059 | +16.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $118,984 | +16.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $140,604 | +16.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $64,200 | $73,025 (−8.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $107,640 | $122,437 (−6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $75,260 | $85,606 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $80,930 | $92,055 (−10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.