City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tallahassee, FL are 1.9% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $101,900 in Tallahassee, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,204 a month in Tallahassee, FL versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Tallahassee, FL and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Rockford, IL to Tallahassee, FL ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.2% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,915 in Tallahassee | $98,121 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Tallahassee, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
63 Fair offer
Tallahassee, FL → Rockford, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Rockford → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | −12.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | −12.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | −12.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | −12.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | −12.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $55,020 | $53,986 (−15.9%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $121,800 | $119,511 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $61,840 | $60,678 (−19.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $79,430 | $77,937 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.