City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 9.7% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $109,700 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Atlanta, GA to Peoria, IL ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,178 in Peoria | $109,675 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
99 Strong offer
Peoria, IL → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Peoria, IL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Peoria, IL | Real change, Atlanta → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $57,440 | $62,998 (−17.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $130,590 | $143,225 (+7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $79,540 | $87,236 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $81,010 | $88,848 (−11.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.