City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Omaha, NE (91.9) and Rockford, IL (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Omaha, NE goes as far as $100,300 in Rockford, IL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,135 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.7% moving from Omaha, NE to Rockford, IL ($107,501 → $118,984), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.4% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (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
| Omaha, NE | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,264 in Rockford | $99,736 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,135/yr.
68 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,135/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Rockford, IL | Real change, Omaha → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $68,999 | +10.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $83,482 | +10.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $100,059 | +10.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $118,984 | +10.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $140,604 | +10.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $64,200 | $64,031 (+2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $107,640 | $107,356 (−14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $75,260 | $75,062 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $80,930 | $80,717 (−4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.