City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 1.6% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $101,600 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $4,805 in IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Roanoke, VA to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by −1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.6% in real buying power.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (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
| Roanoke, VA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,436 in Rockford | $101,589 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$131/yr.
74 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$131/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Roanoke, VA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Roanoke, VA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Roanoke → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +13.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +13.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +13.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +13.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +13.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $64,200 | $65,220 (+5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $107,640 | $109,350 (−9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $75,260 | $76,456 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $80,930 | $82,216 (+2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.