Relocation: Rockford, IL to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Rockford, IL to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Rockford, IL
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Rockford (Monthly) | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $896 | $1,780 | +$884 | +98.7% |
| Food & Groceries | $344 | $385 | +$41 | +11.9% |
| Transportation | $1,017 | $947 | -$70 | -6.9% |
| Healthcare | $571 | $416 | -$155 | -27.1% |
| Other Necessities | $358 | $572 | +$214 | +59.8% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $2,135 | $0 | 0.0% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Rockford Median | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $98,390 | $109,390 | +$11,000 (+11.2%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $80,930 | $100,490 | +$19,560 (+24.2%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $75,260 | $82,360 | +$7,100 (+9.4%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $135,650 | $168,810 | +$33,160 (+24.4%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $107,640 | $134,380 | +$26,740 (+24.8%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $96,430 | $105,090 | +$8,660 (+9.0%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $133,560 | $158,690 | +$25,130 (+18.8%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $146,600 | $173,760 | +$27,160 (+18.5%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $46,240 | $48,230 | +$1,990 (+4.3%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $94,690 | $105,320 | +$10,630 (+11.2%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $93,280 | $102,350 | +$9,070 (+9.7%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $124,440 | $165,340 | +$40,900 (+32.9%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Rockford, IL to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Relocation FAQs
About $123,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (101.5 in Rockford, IL, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Rockford, IL to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Rockford, IL to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on the same salary. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Rockford, IL to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $123,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (101.5 in Rockford, IL, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 23.9% higher in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN than in Rockford, IL. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.