City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 4.2% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $104,200 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Rockford, IL to Springfield, MA ($118,984 → $120,094), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,240 in Springfield | $95,933 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$25/yr.
56 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$25/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Springfield, MA | Real change, Rockford → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $69,642 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $84,260 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $100,992 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $120,094 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $141,915 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $79,640 | $76,401 (+19.0%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $127,740 | $122,545 (+13.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $92,010 | $88,268 (+17.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $98,410 | $94,407 (+16.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.