City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 13.0% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $113,000 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $265 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Rockford, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.6% moving from Modesto, CA to Rockford, IL ($133,060 → $118,984), while prices change by −11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (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
| Modesto, CA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,518 in Rockford | $112,972 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$265/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$265/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Modesto → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $68,999 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $83,482 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $100,059 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $118,984 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $140,604 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $64,200 | $72,528 (−28.6%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $107,640 | $121,603 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $75,260 | $85,023 (+1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $80,930 | $91,428 (−31.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.