City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 11.3% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $111,300 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,735 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.4% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Rockford, IL ($117,284 → $118,984), while prices change by −10.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.9% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,859 in Rockford | $111,285 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,735/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,735/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Philadelphia → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $68,999 | +12.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $83,482 | +12.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $100,059 | +12.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $118,984 | +12.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $140,604 | +12.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $64,200 | $71,445 (−9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $107,640 | $119,788 (−10.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $75,260 | $83,753 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $80,930 | $90,063 (−11.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.