City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rockford, IL are 5.4% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $105,400 in Rockford, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $895 a month in Rockford, IL versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Rockford, IL and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,838 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.6% moving from Rockford, IL to Youngstown, OH ($118,984 → $111,138), while prices change by −5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,835 in Youngstown | $105,447 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,838/yr.
86 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Rockford, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,838/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Rockford → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $64,448 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $77,977 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $93,461 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $111,138 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $131,331 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $72,560 | $76,512 (+19.2%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $107,990 | $113,872 (+5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $73,080 | $77,060 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $78,680 | $82,965 (+2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.