City comparison
Peoria, IL vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 21.8% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $121,800 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Peoria, IL to Seattle, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +21.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.7% in real buying power.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Peoria, IL | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,815 in Seattle | $82,092 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.9%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.8%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Peoria, IL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Peoria, IL to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | Seattle, WA | Real change, Peoria → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | −7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | −7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | −7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | −7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | −7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,440 | $102,920 | $84,489 (+47.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $167,280 | $137,323 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $99,370 | $81,575 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $128,260 | $105,291 (+30.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.