City comparison
Peoria, IL vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Peoria, IL (91.2) and Spartanburg, SC (91.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Peoria, IL goes as far as $99,800 in Spartanburg, SC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,083 a month in Spartanburg, SC versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,843 in SC.
- 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 Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by +0.2%, purely from prices.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Peoria, IL | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,803 in Spartanburg | $100,198 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$38/yr.
69 Fair offer
Spartanburg, SC → Peoria, IL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$38/yr.
68 Fair 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 Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Peoria → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,440 | $60,990 | $61,111 (+6.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $114,460 | $114,686 (−12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $77,080 | $77,232 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $82,360 | $82,523 (+1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.