City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 3.7% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $103,700 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,236 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Rockford, IL ($107,592 → $118,984), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.7% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,450 in Rockford | $103,681 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,236/yr.
80 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,236/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Rockford, IL | Real change, Albuquerque → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $68,999 | +14.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $83,482 | +14.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $100,059 | +14.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $118,984 | +14.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $140,604 | +14.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $64,200 | $66,563 (−11.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $107,640 | $111,602 (−9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $75,260 | $78,030 (−2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $80,930 | $83,909 (−12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.