City comparison
Louisville, KY vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Louisville, KY are 2.0% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $102,000 in Louisville, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,047 a month in Louisville, KY versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Louisville, KY and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,423 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in Louisville, KY.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Louisville, KY to Peoria, IL changes real buying power by +2.0%, purely from prices.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Louisville, KY | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,020 in Peoria | $102,020 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/mo | $818/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% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,370 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,423/yr.
75 Strong offer
Peoria, IL → Louisville, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,423/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Louisville, KY to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Peoria, IL | Real change, Louisville → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $57,440 | $58,600 (−4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $130,590 | $133,228 (+20.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $79,540 | $81,147 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $81,010 | $82,647 (−2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.