City comparison
Madison, WI vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 5.6% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $105,600 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $886 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Madison, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Madison, WI to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by −5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.0% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,724 in Rockford | $105,570 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$886/yr.
86 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$886/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI 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 Madison, WI to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Rockford, IL | Real change, Madison → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +18.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +18.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +18.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +18.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +18.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $64,200 | $67,776 (+6.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $107,640 | $113,636 (−13.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $75,260 | $79,452 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $80,930 | $85,438 (−15.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.