City comparison
New York, NY vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 23.4% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $123,400 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from New York, NY to Peoria, IL ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −19.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.7% in real buying power.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
- 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
| New York, NY | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,049 in Peoria | $123,382 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +23.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$55/yr.
100 Strong offer
Peoria, IL → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −19.0%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$55/yr.
11 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New York, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Peoria, IL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from New York, NY to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | Peoria, IL | Real change, New York → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $57,440 | $70,871 (−26.9%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $130,590 | $161,125 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $79,540 | $98,138 (−7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $81,010 | $99,952 (−16.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.