City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 8.6% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $108,600 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 $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 14% in Rockford, 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 +5.7% moving from Atlanta, GA to Rockford, IL ($112,556 → $118,984), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.8% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- 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
| Atlanta, GA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,101 in Rockford | $108,577 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $895/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% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
96 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Atlanta → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $68,999 | +14.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $83,482 | +14.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $100,059 | +14.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $118,984 | +14.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $140,604 | +14.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $64,200 | $69,706 (−9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $107,640 | $116,872 (−12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $75,260 | $81,715 (−4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $80,930 | $87,871 (−12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.