City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 10.9% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $110,900 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $265 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Rockford, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.2% moving from Fresno, CA to Rockford, IL ($106,973 → $118,984), while prices change by −9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +23.3% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (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
| Fresno, CA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,207 in Rockford | $110,856 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$265/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$265/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Fresno → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $68,999 | +23.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $83,482 | +23.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $100,059 | +23.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $118,984 | +23.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $140,604 | +23.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $64,200 | $71,169 (−9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $107,640 | $119,325 (−7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $75,260 | $83,430 (+6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $80,930 | $89,716 (−28.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.