City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rockford, IL are 3.2% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $103,200 in Rockford, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $939 a month in Columbus, GA and $895 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 Columbus, GA to Rockford, IL ($112,556 → $118,984), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (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
| Columbus, GA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,201 in Rockford | $96,899 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/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 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Rockford, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
59 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, 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 Columbus, GA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Columbus → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $68,999 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $83,482 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $100,059 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $118,984 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $140,604 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $64,200 | $62,209 (+1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $107,640 | $104,302 (−10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $75,260 | $72,926 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $80,930 | $78,420 (−4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.