City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Palm Bay, FL are 8.5% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $108,500 in Palm Bay, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.0% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Rockford, IL ($107,228 → $118,984), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +20.4% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
- 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
| Palm Bay, FL | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,149 in Rockford | $108,519 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
95 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Rockford, IL | Real change, Palm Bay → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $68,999 | +20.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $83,482 | +20.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $100,059 | +20.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $118,984 | +20.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $140,604 | +20.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $64,200 | $69,669 (+11.5%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $107,640 | $116,810 (−11.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $75,260 | $81,672 (+7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $80,930 | $87,825 (+8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.