CostIndexUSA

Kansas City, MO vs Rockford, IL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostMO
Kansas City
92.5
overall index
$1,450/mo rent
IL
Rockford
92.2
overall index
$1,200/mo rent

Kansas City and Rockford have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing19.1%
Kansas City
86.6
Rockford
70.1
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Kansas City
94.1
Rockford
93.6
🚗 Transportation+6.7%
Kansas City
98
Rockford
104.6
🏥 Healthcare+6.7%
Kansas City
88.7
Rockford
94.6
Utilities≈ Equal
Kansas City
89
Rockford
89.4

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Kansas City to see what you'd need to earn in Rockford to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Rockford, IL
$79,700
$300 less needed in Rockford

Formula: salary × (92.2 ÷ 92.5) = salary × 0.9968. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Kansas City, MO

Median Home Price
$312,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
86.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.9×

Rockford, IL

Median Home Price
$206,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,200
Housing Index
70.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.3×

Kansas City has 19.1% lower housing costs compared to Rockford.

Income & Job Market

Kansas City, MO

Median Household Income
$79,800
Per Capita Income
$45,500
Unemployment Rate
2.9%
Population
508,394
Top Industries
FinanceHealthcareManufacturingLogisticsGovernment

Rockford, IL

Median Household Income
$67,000
Per Capita Income
$38,200
Unemployment Rate
5.8%
Population
148,123
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareFinanceRetailEducation

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Kansas City, MO
4.6×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Rockford, IL
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.