City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Lexington, KY (92.9) and Rockford, IL (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Lexington, KY goes as far as $99,200 in Rockford, IL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,423 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Lexington, KY to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.7% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (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
| Lexington, KY | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,209 in Rockford | $100,798 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,423/yr.
71 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Lexington, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,423/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY 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 Lexington, KY to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Rockford, IL | Real change, Lexington → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +12.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +12.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +12.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +12.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +12.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $64,200 | $64,712 (+5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $107,640 | $108,499 (−12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $75,260 | $75,860 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $80,930 | $81,575 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.