City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dayton, OH (92.7) and Rockford, IL (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dayton, OH goes as far as $99,400 in Rockford, IL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Dayton, OH and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,838 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.8% moving from Dayton, OH to Rockford, IL ($110,401 → $118,984), while prices change by −0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.4% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (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
| Dayton, OH | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,417 in Rockford | $100,586 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,838/yr.
71 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Dayton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,838/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Rockford, IL | Real change, Dayton → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $68,999 | +8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $83,482 | +8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $100,059 | +8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $118,984 | +8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $140,604 | +8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $64,200 | $64,576 (−19.6%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $107,640 | $108,271 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $75,260 | $75,701 (−4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $80,930 | $81,404 (−1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.