City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 12.1% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $112,100 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,514 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.9% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Rockford, IL ($111,338 → $118,984), while prices change by −10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.8% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (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
| Phoenix, AZ | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,196 in Rockford | $112,112 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,514/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,514/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Rockford, IL | Real change, Phoenix → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $68,999 | +19.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $83,482 | +19.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $100,059 | +19.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $118,984 | +19.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $140,604 | +19.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $64,200 | $71,976 (+21.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $107,640 | $120,678 (−8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $75,260 | $84,376 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $80,930 | $90,733 (−10.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.