City comparison
Peoria, IL vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reading, PA are 6.4% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $106,400 in Reading, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,237 a month in Reading, PA versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Reading, 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 Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Peoria, IL to Reading, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Peoria, IL | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,389 in Reading | $93,994 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,237/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → Reading, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,735/yr.
50 Fair offer
Reading, PA → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,735/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Peoria, IL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Peoria, IL to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | Reading, PA | Real change, Peoria → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,440 | $79,860 | $75,064 (+30.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $120,920 | $113,658 (−13.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $75,550 | $71,013 (−10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $98,470 | $92,556 (+14.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.