City comparison
New York, NY vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 22.1% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $122,100 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.1% moving from New York, NY to Rockford, IL ($125,431 → $118,984), while prices change by −18.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.9% in real buying power.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (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
| New York, NY | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,869 in Rockford | $122,147 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$55/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.1%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$55/yr.
11 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New York, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from New York, NY to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | Rockford, IL | Real change, New York → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $68,999 | +15.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $83,482 | +15.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $100,059 | +15.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $118,984 | +15.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $140,604 | +15.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $64,200 | $78,418 (−19.1%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $107,640 | $131,479 (−21.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $75,260 | $91,928 (−13.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $80,930 | $98,853 (−17.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.