City comparison
Denver, CO vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 14.8% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $114,800 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,114 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.3% moving from Denver, CO to Rockford, IL ($118,675 → $118,984), while prices change by −12.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.1% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,117 in Rockford | $114,788 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,114/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.9%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$1,114/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Rockford, IL | Real change, Denver → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,999 | +15.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $83,482 | +15.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $100,059 | +15.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $118,984 | +15.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $140,604 | +15.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $64,200 | $73,694 (−4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $107,640 | $123,558 (−10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $75,260 | $86,390 (−13.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $80,930 | $92,898 (−8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.