City comparison
Peoria, IL vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 6.2% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $106,200 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,081 a month in Tucson, AZ versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Tucson, AZ and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,514 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Peoria, IL to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Peoria, IL | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,210 in Tucson | $94,154 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,514/yr.
50 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$2,514/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Peoria, IL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Peoria, IL to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Peoria → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,440 | $47,220 | $44,459 (−22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $123,710 | $116,477 (−10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $76,320 | $71,858 (−9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $94,110 | $88,608 (+9.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.