CostIndexUSA

La Crosse, WI vs Rockford, IL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWI
La Crosse
91.8
overall index
$1,200/mo rent
IL
Rockford
92.2
overall index
$1,200/mo rent

La Crosse and Rockford have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+1.0%
La Crosse
69.4
Rockford
70.1
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
La Crosse
93.8
Rockford
93.6
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
La Crosse
104.4
Rockford
104.6
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
La Crosse
94.5
Rockford
94.6
Utilities≈ Equal
La Crosse
89.5
Rockford
89.4

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Rockford, IL
$80,400
$400 more needed in Rockford

Formula: salary × (92.2 ÷ 91.8) = salary × 1.0044. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

La Crosse, WI

Median Home Price
$315,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,200
Housing Index
69.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.9×

Rockford, IL

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

Rockford has 1.0% higher housing costs compared to La Crosse.

Income & Job Market

La Crosse, WI

Median Household Income
$71,300
Per Capita Income
$40,600
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Population
52,680
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingRetailTourism

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).

La Crosse, WI
5.0×income-to-rent ratio

80% 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.