City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 6.5% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $106,500 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,324 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Raleigh, NC to Rockford, IL ($111,147 → $118,984), while prices change by −6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.0% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (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
| Raleigh, NC | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,884 in Rockford | $106,514 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,324/yr.
89 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,324/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Rockford, IL | Real change, Raleigh → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $68,999 | +14.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $83,482 | +14.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $100,059 | +14.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $118,984 | +14.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $140,604 | +14.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $64,200 | $68,382 (+13.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $107,640 | $114,652 (−13.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $75,260 | $80,163 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $80,930 | $86,202 (+1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.