City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 3.9% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $103,900 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Rockford, IL to Syracuse, NY ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.9% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,893 in Syracuse | $96,252 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$55/yr.
57 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$55/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Rockford → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | −13.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | −13.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | −13.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | −13.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | −13.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $78,560 | $75,616 (+17.8%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $129,100 | $124,262 (+15.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $82,230 | $79,148 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $86,960 | $83,701 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.