City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 14.4% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $114,400 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Anchorage, AK to Rockford, IL ($120,348 → $118,984), while prices change by −12.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.1% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- 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
| Anchorage, AK | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,416 in Rockford | $114,395 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Rockford, IL | Real change, Anchorage → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $68,999 | +13.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $83,482 | +13.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $100,059 | +13.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $118,984 | +13.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $140,604 | +13.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $64,200 | $73,442 (−7.4%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $107,640 | $123,135 (+18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $75,260 | $86,094 (+4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $80,930 | $92,580 (−19.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.