City comparison
Mobile, AL vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Rockford, IL are 4.6% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $104,600 in Rockford, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $919 a month in Mobile, AL and $895 in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Mobile, AL to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much 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
| Mobile, AL | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.1 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,604 in Rockford | $95,599 in Mobile |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $919/mo | $895/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% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,000 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Mobile, AL MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Mobile, AL and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Mobile | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 60.1 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 84.2 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 88.1 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Mobile, AL → Rockford, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$70/yr.
55 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$70/yr.
83 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Mobile, AL 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 Mobile, AL to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Mobile, AL | Rockford, IL | Real change, Mobile → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Mobile, AL | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Mobile dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $121,810 | $119,400 | $114,145 (−6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $107,640 | $102,902 (−16.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,130 | $75,260 | $71,948 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,490 | $80,930 | $77,368 (−2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.