City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 2.7% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $102,700 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, 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 Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.1% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Rockford, IL ($110,047 → $118,984), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.1% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- 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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,341 in Rockford | $102,731 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/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 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,735/yr.
77 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,735/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Pittsburgh → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $68,999 | +11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $83,482 | +11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $100,059 | +11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $118,984 | +11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $140,604 | +11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $64,200 | $65,953 (−13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $107,640 | $110,580 (−11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $75,260 | $77,316 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $80,930 | $83,140 (+0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.