City comparison
Rockford, IL vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Rockford, IL (92.2) and South Bend, IN (92.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Rockford, IL goes as far as $100,800 in South Bend, IN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in South Bend, IN and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,885 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Rockford, IL to South Bend, IN ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.2% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,764 in South Bend | $99,242 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,885/yr.
66 Fair offer
South Bend, IN → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,885/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | South Bend, IN | Real change, Rockford → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | −11.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | −11.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | −11.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | −11.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | −11.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $58,180 | $57,739 (−10.1%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $95,500 | $94,776 (−12.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $77,940 | $77,349 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $93,540 | $92,831 (+14.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.