City comparison
Durham, NC vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 5.9% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $105,900 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,324 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Durham, NC to Rockford, IL ($111,147 → $118,984), while prices change by −5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.3% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,447 in Rockford | $105,879 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,324/yr.
87 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,324/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Rockford, IL | Real change, Durham → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $68,999 | +13.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $83,482 | +13.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $100,059 | +13.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $118,984 | +13.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $140,604 | +13.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $64,200 | $67,975 (+32.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $107,640 | $113,968 (−16.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $75,260 | $79,685 (−6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $80,930 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.