City comparison
Miami, FL vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 23.9% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $123,900 in Miami, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,995 a month in Miami, FL versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.0% moving from Miami, FL to Rockford, IL ($113,356 → $118,984), while prices change by −19.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +30.0% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- 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
| Miami, FL | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $80,727 in Rockford | $123,874 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +23.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −19.3%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Rockford, IL | Real change, Miami → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $68,999 | +30.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $83,482 | +30.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $100,059 | +30.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $118,984 | +30.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $140,604 | +30.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $64,200 | $79,527 (+36.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $107,640 | $133,338 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $75,260 | $93,228 (+15.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $80,930 | $100,251 (+9.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.