Chicago vs Rockford
Chicago, IL · Rockford, IL
Rockford is 27% cheaper than Chicago overall.
Home Price
Chicago: $315,000
Rockford: $145,000
Monthly Rent
Chicago: $2,288/mo
Rockford: $780/mo
COL Index
Chicago: 114
Rockford: 83
Median Income
Chicago: $70,100
Rockford: $51,000
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Chicago has the same purchasing power as $72,807 in Rockford — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Rockford cost 54% more (-$170,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Rockford saves you $1,508/month — $18,096 per year. Median rent: $2,288/mo in Chicago vs $780/mo in Rockford.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Chicago owners pay roughly $6,615/year in property taxes vs $3,190/year in Rockford. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $70,100 in Chicago and $51,000 in Rockford. Rockford residents earn 27% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 31 minutes in Chicago vs 20 minutes in Rockford. Over a year, that's 5500 extra minutes (92 hours) of commuting in Chicago.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Chicago to Rockford, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Chicago | Equivalent in Rockford | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $36,404 | -$13,596 |
| $75,000 | $54,605 | -$20,395 |
| $100,000 | $72,807 | -$27,193 |
| $150,000 | $109,211 | -$40,789 |
| $200,000 | $145,614 | -$54,386 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Chicago vs Rockford: Common Questions
Is Chicago or Rockford cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Rockford is cheaper overall. Chicago has a COL index of 114 while Rockford scores 83 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Chicago and Rockford?
The median home price in Chicago is $315,000 vs $145,000 in Rockford — a difference of $170,000 (54%).
What salary do I need in Rockford to match my Chicago income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Chicago is equivalent to $72,807 in Rockford in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Chicago has a lower property tax rate (2.1% vs 2.2%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,190/year vs $6,615/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.