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Rockford vs Springfield

Metro-area medians — Rockford, IL Metro Area vs Springfield, MA Metro Area — not the cities proper.

Springfield comes out ahead, winning 4 of the 7 clearly-decided measures.

Rockford costs about 4% less to live in, and household incomes are similar. Adjusted for local prices, a typical paycheck stretches about as far in either.

Their widest everyday difference: Springfield has the tighter job market — 4% unemployment versus 6%.

For your salary & household

Enter your pay and household size to see what it's really worth here — the numbers update live and the link stays shareable.

Rockford, IL
$57,601
take-home / yr · 23% to tax
$62,505
real value after local prices
Springfield, MA
$57,564
take-home / yr · 23% to tax
$59,924
real value after local prices

On $75,000 for just you, Rockford leaves you about $2,581/yr better off after tax and local prices.

Take-home estimates a single filer taking the standard deduction (2025 federal brackets, FICA, and state income tax) and isn't tax advice. “Real value” rebases take-home to average U.S. prices using the BEA cost-of-living index; the per-person figure uses the OECD square-root equivalence scale.

Measure
Rockford
Springfield
Livability (CityLedger)
37/100
44/100
Cost of living (price level, US = 100)
92.2
96.1
Cost-adjusted income (pay's real value)
$76,080
$74,330
Median household income
$70,111
$71,402
Median rent
$1,014/mo
$1,158/mo
Median home value
$188,400
$331,300
Unemployment
6%
4%
Bachelor's degree or higher
26.7%
29.3%
Average commute
24.2 min
24 min
Air quality (median AQI)
43
38
Avg temperature
49°F
49°F

Choose Rockford for

  • + Cost of living (price level, US = 100)
  • + Median rent
  • + Median home value
Full Rockford profile →

Choose Springfield for

  • + Livability (CityLedger)
  • + Unemployment
  • + Bachelor's degree or higher
  • + Air quality (median AQI)
Full Springfield profile →

More comparisons

Metros closest to Rockford and Springfield on cost, income, size, and education.

Rockford vs Canton→Rockford vs Columbus→Rockford vs Fort Wayne→Springfield vs Scranton→Springfield vs Reading→Springfield vs Fort Wayne→

Rockford vs Springfield — frequently asked

Is Rockford cheaper than Springfield?
Rockford is cheaper: its overall cost of living runs about 4% below Springfield's (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Which has higher household income, Rockford or Springfield?
Household incomes are similar — $70,111 in the Rockford metro versus $71,402 in Springfield (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).
Does a paycheck go further in Rockford or Springfield?
It is roughly a wash. After adjusting income for local prices, a typical paycheck is worth about the same in both metros ($76,080 versus $74,330).
Which has cheaper rent, Rockford or Springfield?
Rockford has cheaper rent — a median of $1,014/mo versus $1,158/mo (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).