City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Huntsville, AL (93.1) and Rockford, IL (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Huntsville, AL goes as far as $99,000 in Rockford, IL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Huntsville, AL and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.3% moving from Huntsville, AL to Rockford, IL ($110,847 → $118,984), while prices change by −1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.4% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (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
| Huntsville, AL | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,014 in Rockford | $100,996 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$70/yr.
72 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$70/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Rockford, IL | Real change, Huntsville → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $68,999 | +8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $83,482 | +8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $100,059 | +8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $118,984 | +8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $140,604 | +8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $64,200 | $64,840 (+4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $107,640 | $108,712 (−15.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $75,260 | $76,010 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $80,930 | $81,736 (+6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.