CostIndexUSA

Knoxville, TN vs Rockford, IL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTN
Knoxville
92.6
overall index
$1,725/mo rent
IL
Rockford
92.2
overall index
$1,200/mo rent

Knoxville and Rockford have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing15.3%
Knoxville
82.8
Rockford
70.1
🛒 Groceries2.7%
Knoxville
96.2
Rockford
93.6
🚗 Transportation+4.7%
Knoxville
99.9
Rockford
104.6
🏥 Healthcare+4.6%
Knoxville
90.4
Rockford
94.6
Utilities+24.3%
Knoxville
71.9
Rockford
89.4

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Knoxville 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 ÷ 92.6) = salary × 0.9957. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Knoxville, TN

Median Home Price
$352,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,725
Housing Index
82.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.0×

Rockford, IL

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

Knoxville has 15.3% lower housing costs compared to Rockford.

Income & Job Market

Knoxville, TN

Median Household Income
$69,900
Per Capita Income
$39,800
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Population
190,740
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingTourismGovernment

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).

Knoxville, TN
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

70% 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.