City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 6.3% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $106,300 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Rockford, IL to Virginia Beach, VA ($118,984 → $108,019), while prices change by +6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.6% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rockford, IL | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,280 in Virginia Beach | $94,091 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$131/yr.
50 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$131/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Rockford → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $62,640 | −14.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $75,788 | −14.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $90,838 | −14.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $108,019 | −14.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $127,646 | −14.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $63,380 | $59,635 (−7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $129,090 | $121,463 (+12.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $79,450 | $74,756 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $89,450 | $84,165 (+4.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.