City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Peoria, IL are 2.2% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $102,200 in Peoria, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $939 a month in Columbus, GA versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Columbus, 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 Columbus, GA to Peoria, IL ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Columbus, GA | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,167 in Peoria | $97,879 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/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 | 15% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Peoria, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
62 Fair offer
Peoria, IL → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, 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 Columbus, GA to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Peoria, IL | Real change, Columbus → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $57,440 | $56,222 (−8.4%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $130,590 | $127,820 (+10.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $79,540 | $77,853 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $81,010 | $79,292 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.