City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 20.6% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $120,600 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Rockford, IL to Seattle, WA ($118,984 → $119,630), while prices change by +20.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −16.6% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $120,595 in Seattle | $82,922 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.1%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Seattle, WA | Real change, Rockford → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $69,373 | −16.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $83,935 | −16.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $100,602 | −16.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $119,630 | −16.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $141,367 | −16.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $102,920 | $85,344 (+32.9%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $167,280 | $138,712 (+28.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $99,370 | $82,400 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $128,260 | $106,356 (+31.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.