

Janesville vs Rockford
$306/mo less in Rockford
JanesvilleRockfordAbout 23 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Rockford costs you more
- Property tax 2.43%
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,375/mo in Rockford. $2,681/mo in Janesville. −$3,672 a year.
Janesville
$2,681
left each month
Rockford
$2,375
−$306 vs Janesville
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 421 households moved Janesville → Rockford (avg AGI $51,416). 470 went the other way. The whole move →
−$306 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Janesville | Rockford | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,375 | $6,954 | −$421 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,787 | $1,696 | −$92 |
| Take-home pay | $5,588 | $5,258 | −$330 |
| Rent | $964 | $940 | −$24 |
| Getting around | $575 | $575 | $0 |
| Groceries | $378 | $378 | $0 |
| Healthcare | $425 | $425 | $0 |
| Utilities | $236 | $236 | $0 |
| Everything else | $330 | $330 | $0 |
| Left over | $2,681 | $2,375 | −$306 |
Salary to match Janesville
$89,000
Gross pay in Rockford that leaves the same amount as $88,500 in Janesville.
Tax difference
−$400
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 24.2% in Janesville, 24.4% in Rockford.
More about Rockford
Janesville, WI in full
State income tax topping out at 7.65%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,148 and 195 sunny days; commutes average 24 minutes.
Rockford, IL in full
A flat 4.95% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,119 and 195 sunny days; commutes average 24 minutes.
The other way
Start in Rockford.
Rockford → Janesville →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Rockford than Janesville?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Rockford leaves about $306 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $964 in Janesville and $940 in Rockford.
Does Rockford have state income tax?
Rockford is in Illinois, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Janesville to Rockford?
The paycheck is taxed in Illinois. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Janesville and Rockford changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.