City comparison
Kiryas Joel, NY vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 18.7% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $118,700 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,549 a month in Kiryas Joel, NY versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Kiryas Joel, NY and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.1% moving from Kiryas Joel, NY to Rockford, IL ($125,431 → $118,984), while prices change by −15.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.6% in real buying power.
- Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much 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
| Kiryas Joel, NY | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 109.4 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,219 in Rockford | $118,738 in Kiryas Joel |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,549/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,990 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kiryas Joel | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.8 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 136.8 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 106.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 109.4 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kiryas Joel, NY → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$55/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Kiryas Joel, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$55/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kiryas Joel, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Kiryas Joel, NY to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Rockford, IL | Real change, Kiryas Joel → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $68,999 | +12.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $83,482 | +12.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $100,059 | +12.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $118,984 | +12.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $140,604 | +12.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Kiryas Joel dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $81,770 | $64,200 | $76,230 (−6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $145,830 | $107,640 | $127,810 (−12.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,900 | $75,260 | $89,362 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $102,890 | $80,930 | $96,095 (−6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.