City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 4.6% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $104,600 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,324 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Rockford, IL to Wilmington, NC ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.5% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,631 in Wilmington | $95,574 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,324/yr.
55 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,324/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Rockford → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | −14.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | −14.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | −14.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | −14.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | −14.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $48,240 | $46,105 (−28.2%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $123,730 | $118,253 (+9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $77,920 | $74,471 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $80,970 | $77,386 (−4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.