Cost of Living: Elgin, IL vs Rockford, IL

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,227/mo in Elgin, IL versus $4,227/mo in Rockford, IL. In the model, rent is about 18.36% of gross in Elgin, IL versus 13.9% in Rockford, IL, so Rockford, IL tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Elgin, IL
$4,227/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Rockford, IL
$4,227/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in Elgin, IL
18.36%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Rockford, IL
13.9%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Elgin, IL and Rockford, IL.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Rockford, IL
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Rockford, IL
  • Lower home prices: Rockford, IL
  • Higher median household income: Elgin, IL

Cost of Living Index

Elgin, IL: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Rockford, IL: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

Elgin, IL: $1,197/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Rockford, IL: $907/mo

Median rent in Elgin, IL is $290/mo higher than in Rockford, IL.

Median Home Price

Elgin, IL: $252,400 · Rockford, IL: $120,900

Median home price in Elgin, IL is $131,500 higher than in Rockford, IL.

Median Household Income

Elgin, IL: $88,316 · Rockford, IL: $53,328

Elgin, IL has a higher median household income than Rockford, IL by $34,988.

Elgin, IL overview · Rockford, IL overview · Popular comparisons