City comparison
Olympia, WA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 12.5% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $112,500 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Olympia, WA to Rockford, IL ($119,630 → $118,984), while prices change by −11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.9% in real buying power.
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (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
| Olympia, WA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.7 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,892 in Rockford | $112,496 in Olympia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,682/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,960 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Olympia | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.7 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 91.7 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 103.7 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Olympia, WA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Olympia, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Olympia, WA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Olympia, WA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Olympia → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $68,999 | +11.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $83,482 | +11.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $100,059 | +11.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $118,984 | +11.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $140,604 | +11.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Olympia, WA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Olympia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $104,650 | $64,200 | $72,223 (−31.0%) |
| Software Developers | $124,060 | $107,640 | $121,091 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,470 | $75,260 | $84,665 (−10.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,020 | $80,930 | $91,043 (−27.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.