City comparison
Provo, UT vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 6.6% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $106,600 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,271 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Provo, UT to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by −6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.2% in real buying power.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (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
| Provo, UT | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,813 in Rockford | $106,595 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,271/yr.
89 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,271/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Provo, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Rockford, IL | Real change, Provo → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +19.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +19.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +19.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +19.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +19.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $64,200 | $68,434 (+8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $107,640 | $114,739 (−12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $75,260 | $80,224 (+6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $80,930 | $86,268 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.