City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 11.3% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $111,300 in Worcester, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.3% moving from Rockford, IL to Worcester, MA ($118,984 → $120,548), while prices change by +11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.9% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,252 in Worcester | $89,886 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$25/yr.
36 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$25/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Worcester, MA | Real change, Rockford → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $69,905 | −8.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $84,579 | −8.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $101,375 | −8.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $120,548 | −8.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $142,452 | −8.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $119,400 | $128,630 | $115,621 (−3.2%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $146,950 | $132,088 (+22.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $94,070 | $84,556 (+12.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $100,240 | $90,102 (+11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.