Cost of Living in Rockford, IL
Rockford, IL — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Rockford, IL to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Rockford, IL?
With a price level of 92.2 (U.S. average = 100), Rockford, IL is cheaper than average. In detail, housing costs are 30% below average; everyday goods are 6% below average; utilities are 11% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining cost about the same as the national average. The biggest difference from the national average is in housing.
Prices in Rockford, IL vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.2 | −7.8% |
| Housing | 70.1 | −29.9% |
| Goods | 93.6 | −6.4% |
| Utilities | 89.4 | −10.6% |
| Other services | 99.6 | −0.4% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Rockford, IL
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $810 | $32,400/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $895 | $35,800/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,175 | $47,000/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,555 | $62,200/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,594 | $63,760/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Rockford, IL
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Rockford, IL | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $36,900 | $30,147 |
| $60,000 | $55,300 | $44,021 |
| $80,000 | $73,700 | $57,175 |
| $100,000 | $92,200 | $69,274 |
| $150,000 | $138,200 | $99,030 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, Illinois 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Rockford, IL's median wage of $47,120 takes home about $3,154 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $895, which is 28% of take-home pay — within the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $2,259 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Rockford, IL
- Federal income tax$3,474
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,921
- Medicare (1.45%)$683
- Illinois income tax$2,188
- Take-home pay$37,853
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
Highest-paying jobs in Rockford, IL
| Job | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Manager | $98,390 | $73,322 | $79,564 |
| Registered Nurse | $80,930 | $61,903 | $67,173 |
| Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator | $45,670 | $36,760 | $39,890 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $44,200 | $35,652 | $38,687 |
| Stocker and Order Filler | $36,020 | $29,484 | $31,994 |
| Retail Salesperson | $33,540 | $27,614 | $29,965 |
| Cashier | $31,680 | $26,212 | $28,443 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $31,640 | $26,181 | $28,410 |
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in Illinois cities
Half of Illinois’s 6,098,130 workers earn less than $51,960 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $37,960–$83,060 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Decatur, IL stretches a paycheck furthest, while Kankakee, IL is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $54,720 | 103.6 | $1,534 | 42% | $2,098 | $42,071 |
| St. Louis, MO | $49,990 | 95.1 | $989 | 30% | $2,346 | $42,084 |
| Davenport, IA | $48,550 | 89.1 | $928 | 29% | $2,316 | $43,704 |
| Peoria, IL | $49,590 | 91.2 | $818 | 25% | $2,492 | $43,533 |
| Rockford, IL | $47,120 | 92.2 | $895 | 28% | $2,259 | $41,076 |
| Champaign, IL | $50,700 | 92.7 | $932 | 28% | $2,447 | $43,744 |
| Springfield, IL | $52,670 | 92.7 | $970 | 28% | $2,533 | $45,326 |
| Bloomington, IL | $53,140 | 93.5 | $999 | 28% | $2,534 | $45,321 |
| Paducah, KY | $45,860 | 86.1 | $843 | 27% | $2,232 | $42,869 |
| Decatur, IL | $51,290 | 88.4 | $845 | 25% | $2,571 | $46,366 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO | $44,470 | 86.1 | $807 | 27% | $2,181 | $41,654 |
| Kankakee, IL | $45,830 | 96.4 | $1,011 | 33% | $2,062 | $38,260 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Rockford, IL vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | 92.2 | $895 | $47,120 | 137,650 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 89.0 | $800 | $49,360 | 139,260 |
| Evansville, IN | 91.5 | $860 | $46,540 | 135,250 |
| Flint, MI | 93.0 | $856 | $45,880 | 135,040 |
| Huntington, WV | 88.4 | $829 | $44,600 | 140,740 |
| College Station, TX | 91.0 | $1,082 | $44,470 | 134,040 |
| South Bend, IN | 92.9 | $1,073 | $46,540 | 131,670 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rockford, IL expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Rockford, IL metro area are 92.2% of the U.S. average, with housing at 70.1%. It is the #239 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Rockford, IL?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $55,292 in Rockford, IL (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $47,120.
Can you afford Rockford, IL on the median wage?
A single worker on the $47,120 median wage takes home about $3,154 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $895 would take 28% of that.
How much is rent in Rockford, IL?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Rockford, IL are $810 for a studio, $895 for one bedroom, $1,175 for two bedrooms and $1,555 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Rockford, IL
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $98,390
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $80,930
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $31,640
Sales and Related Occupations
- Retail Salesperson — $33,540
- Cashier — $31,680
Production Occupations
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $45,670
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $44,200
- Stocker and Order Filler — $36,020