City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 5.1% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $105,100 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,081 a month in Tucson, AZ versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Tucson, AZ and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,514 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.8% moving from Rockford, IL to Tucson, AZ ($118,984 → $108,455), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.3% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,146 in Tucson | $95,106 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,514/yr.
53 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,514/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Rockford → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $62,893 | −13.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $76,095 | −13.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $91,205 | −13.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $108,455 | −13.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $128,162 | −13.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $47,220 | $44,909 (−30.0%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $123,710 | $117,656 (+9.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $76,320 | $72,585 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $94,110 | $89,504 (+10.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.