City comparison
Peoria, IL vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in South Bend, IN are 1.8% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $101,800 in South Bend, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in South Bend, IN and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,885 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in South Bend, IN.
- 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 Peoria, IL to South Bend, IN changes real buying power by −1.8%, purely from prices.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Peoria, IL | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,783 in South Bend | $98,248 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,885/yr.
63 Fair offer
South Bend, IN → Peoria, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,885/yr.
74 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 Peoria, IL to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | South Bend, IN | Real change, Peoria → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,440 | $58,180 | $57,161 (−0.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $95,500 | $93,827 (−28.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $77,940 | $76,574 (−3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $93,540 | $91,901 (+13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.