CostIndexUSA

Rockford, IL vs Winston-Salem, NC Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostIL
Rockford
92.2
overall index
$1,200/mo rent
NC
Winston-Salem
92
overall index
$1,075/mo rent

Rockford and Winston-Salem have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+1.9%
Rockford
70.1
Winston-Salem
71.4
🛒 Groceries+3.2%
Rockford
93.6
Winston-Salem
96.6
🚗 Transportation−1.4%
Rockford
104.6
Winston-Salem
103.1
🏥 Healthcare−1.4%
Rockford
94.6
Winston-Salem
93.3
⚡ Utilities−1.1%
Rockford
89.4
Winston-Salem
88.4

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in Winston-Salem, NC
$79,800
$200 less needed in Winston-Salem

Formula: salary × (92 ÷ 92.2) = salary × 0.9978. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Rockford, IL

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

Winston-Salem, NC

Median Home Price
$355,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,075
Housing Index
71.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
27.5×

Winston-Salem has 1.9% higher housing costs compared to Rockford.

Income & Job Market

Rockford, IL

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

Winston-Salem, NC

Median Household Income
$64,400
Per Capita Income
$36,700
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Population
247,945
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingFinanceEducationGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

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

Rockford, IL
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Winston-Salem, NC
5.0×income-to-rent ratio

80% of income left after rent (median)

Rockford vs other cities

Rockford, IL
vs
Aurora, IL
Index: 92.2Index: 103.6
Rockford, IL
vs
Bloomington, IL
Index: 92.2Index: 93.5
Rockford, IL
vs
Champaign, IL
Index: 92.2Index: 92.7
Rockford, IL
vs
Syracuse, NY
Index: 92.2Index: 95.7
Rockford, IL
vs
Savannah, GA
Index: 92.2Index: 95.2

Winston-Salem vs other cities

Winston-Salem, NC
vs
Asheville, NC
Index: 92Index: 96.5
Winston-Salem, NC
vs
Cary, NC
Index: 92Index: 98.2
Winston-Salem, NC
vs
Charlotte, NC
Index: 92Index: 97.3
Winston-Salem, NC
vs
Glendale, AZ
Index: 92Index: 103.3
Winston-Salem, NC
vs
Chesapeake, VA
Index: 92Index: 97.9

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.