Fort Madison, IA vs Rock Falls, IL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Rock Falls, IL has a modeled overall cost index 13.8% higher than Fort Madison, IA.

Fort Madison, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,010 / month
Rock Falls, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $940 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Fort Madison, IA and Rock Falls, IL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Fort Madison, IA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $997/month in Rock Falls, IL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $161,967 in Rock Falls, IL

Regional cost estimates: Fort Madison, IA uses Des Moines, IA. Rock Falls, IL uses Madison, WI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 13.8%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$997

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$12.0K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Fort Madison, IA

Population:10K

Cost Index:

78.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$102K

Rock Falls, IL

Population:9K

Cost Index:

89.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$114K

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Fort Madison, IA

The Hawkeye State

10K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 10K residents.

Rock Falls, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 9K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Fort Madison, IA vs Rock Falls, IL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Fort Madison, IA	Rock Falls, IL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,025/mo	$2,617/mo	↑ $592more	29.2%
Other	$1,739/mo	$1,891/mo	↑ $151more	8.7%
Transportation	$1,345/mo	$1,485/mo	↑ $140more	10.4%
Groceries	$1,055/mo	$1,099/mo	↑ $44.16more	4.2%
All Utilities	$545/mo	$582/mo	↑ $37.06more	6.8%
Healthcare	$791/mo	$823/mo	↑ $32.79more	4.1%

Housing

↑ 29.2%

Fort Madison, IA

$2,025

Rock Falls, IL

$2,617

Difference

$592

Other

↑ 8.7%

Fort Madison, IA

$1,739

Rock Falls, IL

$1,891

Difference

$151

Transportation

↑ 10.4%

Fort Madison, IA

$1,345

Rock Falls, IL

$1,485

Difference

$140

Groceries

↑ 4.2%

Fort Madison, IA

$1,055

Rock Falls, IL

$1,099

Difference

$44.16

All Utilities

↑ 6.8%

Fort Madison, IA

$545

Rock Falls, IL

$582

Difference

$37.06

Healthcare

↑ 4.1%

Fort Madison, IA

$791

Rock Falls, IL

$823

Difference

$32.79

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$700

To$690

↓ $10.00

1 Bed

From$770

To$740

↓ $30.00

2 Bed

From$1,010

To$940

↓ $70.00

3 Bed

From$1,330

To$1,240

↓ $90.00

Fort Madison, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $770–$770/mo

Rock Falls, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $740–$740/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Fort Madison, IA

$8,497

Monthly in Rock Falls, IL

$997

Difference

Home Values

Fort Madison

Rock Falls

$102K

Median Value

$114K

↓ -3%

YoY Change

↑ +3.8%

↑ +12.4%

5-Year Change

↑ +36.9%

Homes in Rock Falls are 11% more expensive than Fort Madison

Calculate payment - Fort Madison Calculate payment - Rock Falls

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $3.3K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$273

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.2%

Rate difference

Fort Madison, IA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Iowa State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.7K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.7K

Take-Home Pay

$8,524/month

$102.3K

Rock Falls, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Additional Tax Information

Fort Madison, IA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:1.5%

Rock Falls, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Fort Madison

Rock Falls

45 Good

Air Quality

42 Good

67.5%

Good Air Days

72.1%

92 Moderate

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

🌡☀🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

25 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

25 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

Before moving from Fort Madison, IA to Rock Falls, IL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Rock Falls, IL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Fort Madison, IA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Fort Madison to Rock Falls moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Rock Falls, IL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Fort Madison, IA vs Rock Falls, IL

How do the cost estimates for Fort Madison, IA and Rock Falls, IL compare?

Rock Falls, IL has a modeled overall cost index 13.8% higher than Fort Madison, IA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Fort Madison, IA, the model estimates $161,967 in Rock Falls, IL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Fort Madison, IA and Rock Falls, IL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,010/month in Fort Madison, IA and $940/month in Rock Falls, IL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Iowa and Illinois on TaxTakeHome.com

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