City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 5.3% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $105,300 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.0% moving from Rochester, NY to Rockford, IL ($107,182 → $118,984), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.9% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- 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
| Rochester, NY | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,970 in Rockford | $105,297 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$55/yr.
85 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$55/yr.
53 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Rockford, IL | Real change, Rochester → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $68,999 | +16.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $83,482 | +16.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $100,059 | +16.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $118,984 | +16.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $140,604 | +16.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $105,860 | $119,400 | $125,724 (+18.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $107,640 | $113,341 (−7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $75,260 | $79,246 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $80,930 | $85,217 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.