City comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Port St. Lucie, FL are 8.8% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $108,800 in Port St. Lucie, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,467 a month in Port St. Lucie, FL versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Port St. Lucie, FL and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.0% moving from Port St. Lucie, FL to Rockford, IL ($113,356 → $118,984), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.2% in real buying power.
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (about average)
- 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
| Port St. Lucie, FL | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,944 in Rockford | $108,761 in Port St. Lucie |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,467/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,490 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Port St. Lucie, FL MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Port St. Lucie, FL and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Port St. Lucie | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.6 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.0 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Port St. Lucie, FL → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
96 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Port St. Lucie, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Port St. Lucie, FL to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Rockford, IL | Real change, Port St. Lucie → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $68,999 | +14.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $83,482 | +14.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $100,059 | +14.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $118,984 | +14.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $140,604 | +14.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Port St. Lucie dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $53,610 | $64,200 | $69,825 (+30.2%) |
| Software Developers | $128,510 | $107,640 | $117,071 (−8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,430 | $75,260 | $81,854 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,090 | $80,930 | $88,021 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.