City comparison
Peoria, IL vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.2% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $104,200 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $995 a month in St. Louis, MO versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in St. Louis, MO and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,043 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Peoria, IL to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Peoria, IL | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,228 in St. Louis | $95,944 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → St. Louis, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,043/yr.
56 Fair offer
St. Louis, MO → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,043/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Peoria, IL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Peoria, IL to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Peoria → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,440 | $60,650 | $58,190 (+1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $129,030 | $123,796 (−5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $78,880 | $75,680 (−4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $83,180 | $79,806 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.