City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 8.6% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $108,600 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kennewick, WA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Kennewick, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Kennewick, WA to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +21.4% in real buying power.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (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
| Kennewick, WA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,081 in Rockford | $108,600 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
96 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kennewick, WA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Kennewick, WA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Kennewick → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +21.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +21.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +21.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +21.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +21.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $64,200 | $69,721 (−30.5%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $107,640 | $116,897 (−8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $75,260 | $81,732 (−12.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $80,930 | $87,890 (−17.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.