Salary Comparison
Patternmakers: Rockford vs Berkeley
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Rockford, IL
$49,345/yr
Berkeley, CA
$65,570/yr
Our recommendation: Rockford, IL
Rockford offers $1,084 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Rockford
Berkeley
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$49,345
$65,570
$16,225
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,002
$3,989
$987
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
71
148
-77 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$1,907
$3,978
$2,071
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$950
$2,550
$1,600
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$1,095
$11
+$1,084
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.57×
1.00×
+0.57×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
6/10 (Moderate)
3/10 (Tight)
+3
A vs B
Rockford — Full Details
Berkeley — Full Details
Salary estimates based on BLS metro data. Cost of living from regional price indices. All figures are estimates; verify with employers before making decisions.