City comparison
College Station, TX vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rockford, IL are 1.3% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $101,300 in Rockford, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in College Station, TX versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in College Station, TX and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in College Station, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from College Station, TX to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.3% in real buying power.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (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
| College Station, TX | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,323 in Rockford | $98,695 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
65 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → College Station, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
College Station, TX 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 College Station, TX to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Rockford, IL | Real change, College Station → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $64,200 | $63,362 (+9.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $107,640 | $106,235 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $75,260 | $74,278 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $80,930 | $79,874 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.