City comparison
Peoria, IL vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 3.8% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $103,800 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,735 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Peoria, IL to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by +3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.4% in real buying power.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Peoria, IL | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,771 in Pittsburgh | $96,366 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,735/yr.
57 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,735/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Peoria, IL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Peoria, IL to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Peoria → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,440 | $76,550 | $73,768 (+28.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $124,500 | $119,976 (−8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $76,940 | $74,144 (−6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $82,370 | $79,377 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.