City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Kansas City, MO (92.5) and Rockford, IL (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Kansas City, MO goes as far as $99,600 in Rockford, IL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,043 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.0% moving from Kansas City, MO to Rockford, IL ($108,173 → $118,984), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.5% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (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
| Kansas City, MO | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,580 in Rockford | $100,422 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,043/yr.
70 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,043/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Rockford, IL | Real change, Kansas City → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $68,999 | +10.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $83,482 | +10.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $100,059 | +10.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $118,984 | +10.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $140,604 | +10.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $64,200 | $64,471 (+5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $107,640 | $108,094 (−13.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $75,260 | $75,578 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $80,930 | $81,272 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.