City comparison
Portland, OR vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 14.4% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $114,400 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,115 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Rockford, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.7% moving from Portland, OR to Rockford, IL ($114,684 → $118,984), while prices change by −12.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.7% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (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
| Portland, OR | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,415 in Rockford | $114,397 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$3,115/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,115/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Rockford, IL | Real change, Portland → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $68,999 | +18.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $83,482 | +18.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $100,059 | +18.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $118,984 | +18.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $140,604 | +18.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $64,200 | $73,443 (−10.8%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $107,640 | $123,136 (−21.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $75,260 | $86,095 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $80,930 | $92,581 (−29.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.