City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 12.5% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $112,500 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,115 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Rockford, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Rockford, IL to Salem, OR ($118,984 → $114,684), while prices change by +12.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.3% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,474 in Salem | $88,910 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,115/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$3,115/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Salem, OR | Real change, Rockford → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $66,505 | −14.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $80,465 | −14.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $96,443 | −14.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $114,684 | −14.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $135,522 | −14.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $74,810 | $66,513 (+3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $131,620 | $117,023 (+8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $87,480 | $77,778 (+3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $131,750 | $117,139 (+44.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.