City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rockford, IL are 1.9% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $101,900 in Rockford, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,017 a month in Oklahoma City, OK versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Oklahoma City, OK and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $851 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Oklahoma City, OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.7% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much 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
| Oklahoma City, OK | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,931 in Rockford | $98,105 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$851/yr.
63 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Oklahoma City, OK
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$851/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK 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 Oklahoma City, OK to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Rockford, IL | Real change, Oklahoma City → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $64,200 | $62,984 (+29.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $107,640 | $105,601 (−13.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $75,260 | $73,834 (−4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $80,930 | $79,397 (−4.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.