City comparison
Houston, TX vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Houston, TX are 7.0% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $107,000 in Houston, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,323 a month in Houston, TX versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Houston, TX and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Houston, TX to Rockford, IL ($122,749 → $118,984), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
- 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
| Houston, TX | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.6 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,435 in Rockford | $107,026 in Houston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,323/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,410 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Houston-The Woodlands, TX | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Houston | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.5 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.3 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 95.6 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 98.6 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Houston, TX → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
91 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Houston, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Houston, TX is in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Houston, TX to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Houston, TX | Rockford, IL | Real change, Houston → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,181 | $68,999 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $86,123 | $83,482 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $103,225 | $100,059 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $122,749 | $118,984 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $145,052 | $140,604 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Houston, TX | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Houston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,500 | $64,200 | $68,711 (+6.5%) |
| Software Developers | $129,440 | $107,640 | $115,203 (−11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $75,260 | $80,548 (−5.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,830 | $80,930 | $86,616 (−13.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.