City comparison
Portland, ME vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 10.5% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $110,500 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $849 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Rockford, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.3% moving from Portland, ME to Rockford, IL ($120,548 → $118,984), while prices change by −9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.1% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (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
| Portland, ME | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,473 in Rockford | $110,530 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$849/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$849/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Rockford, IL | Real change, Portland → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $68,999 | +9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $83,482 | +9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $100,059 | +9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $118,984 | +9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $140,604 | +9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $64,200 | $70,960 (−7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $107,640 | $118,975 (−7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $75,260 | $83,185 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $80,930 | $89,452 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.