City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Las Vegas, NV are 8.7% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $108,700 in Las Vegas, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Las Vegas, NV and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.4% moving from Las Vegas, NV to Rockford, IL ($108,719 → $118,984), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.0% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (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
| Las Vegas, NV | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,956 in Rockford | $108,747 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
96 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | Rockford, IL | Real change, Las Vegas → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $68,999 | +19.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $83,482 | +19.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $100,059 | +19.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $118,984 | +19.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $140,604 | +19.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $64,200 | $69,816 (+7.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $107,640 | $117,056 (−9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $75,260 | $81,843 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $80,930 | $88,009 (−15.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.