City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rockford, IL are 3.1% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $103,100 in Rockford, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $989 a month in Little Rock, AR versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Little Rock, AR and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,118 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Little Rock, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Little Rock, AR to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.4% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much 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
| Little Rock, AR | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,122 in Rockford | $96,972 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Rockford, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,118/yr.
59 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,118/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR 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 Little Rock, AR to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Rockford, IL | Real change, Little Rock → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $64,200 | $62,256 (+6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $107,640 | $104,381 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $75,260 | $72,981 (+10.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $80,930 | $78,480 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.