City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rockford, IL are 1.5% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $101,500 in Rockford, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Baton Rouge, LA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,191 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.1% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,514 in Rockford | $98,509 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,191/yr.
64 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,191/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Baton Rouge → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $64,200 | $63,243 (+6.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $107,640 | $106,035 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $75,260 | $74,138 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $80,930 | $79,723 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.