City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 15.8% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $115,800 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $265 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Rockford, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Rockford, IL to Sacramento, CA ($118,984 → $117,984), while prices change by +15.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.3% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,752 in Sacramento | $86,392 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.6%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$265/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$265/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Rockford → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $68,419 | −14.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $82,780 | −14.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $99,218 | −14.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $117,984 | −14.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $139,422 | −14.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $103,390 | $89,320 (+39.1%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $139,640 | $120,637 (+12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $92,110 | $79,575 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $171,460 | $148,127 (+83.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.