City comparison
Providence, RI vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 10.4% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $110,400 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,657 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.3% moving from Providence, RI to Rockford, IL ($120,548 → $118,984), while prices change by −9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.0% in real buying power.
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (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
| Providence, RI | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.8 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,549 in Rockford | $110,438 in Providence |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,402/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (RI) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $53,680 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Providence-Warwick, RI-MA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Providence | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.9 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 97.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 102.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 101.8 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Providence, RI → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,657/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,657/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Providence, RI is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Providence, RI to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Providence, RI | Rockford, IL | Real change, Providence → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $68,999 | +9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $83,482 | +9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $100,059 | +9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $118,984 | +9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $140,604 | +9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Providence, RI | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Providence dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $86,720 | $64,200 | $70,901 (−18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $107,640 | $118,875 (−9.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,020 | $75,260 | $83,116 (−12.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,880 | $80,930 | $89,377 (−10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.