City comparison
Mobile, AL vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Peoria, IL are 3.6% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $103,600 in Peoria, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $919 a month in Mobile, AL versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Mobile, AL and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,805 in IL.
- 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 Mobile, AL to Peoria, IL changes real buying power by −3.4%, purely from prices.
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much 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
| Mobile, AL | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.1 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,556 in Peoria | $96,566 in Mobile |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $919/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,000 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Mobile, AL MSA and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Mobile, AL and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Mobile | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 60.1 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 84.2 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 88.1 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Mobile, AL → Peoria, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$70/yr.
58 Fair offer
Peoria, IL → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$70/yr.
80 Strong 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 Mobile, AL to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Mobile, AL | Peoria, IL | Real change, Mobile → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Mobile, AL | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Mobile dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,970 | $57,440 | $55,467 (−9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $130,590 | $126,105 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,130 | $79,540 | $76,808 (+6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,490 | $81,010 | $78,228 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.