City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rockford, IL are 5.1% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $105,100 in Rockford, IL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $972 a month in Tuscaloosa, AL versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Tuscaloosa, AL and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.6% moving from Rockford, IL to Tuscaloosa, AL ($118,984 → $107,510), while prices change by −4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,191 in Tuscaloosa | $105,052 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$70/yr.
85 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Rockford, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$70/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Rockford → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $62,344 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $75,431 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $90,410 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $107,510 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $127,044 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $60,220 | $63,263 (−1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $104,870 | $110,168 (+2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $71,690 | $75,312 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $75,250 | $79,052 (−2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.