Arkansas
Moderate tax burden · COL index 85
Wins 8 categories
Illinois
High tax burden · COL index 92
Wins 7 categories
Illinois's top income tax rate is 4.95% vs Arkansas's 3.9%. Property taxes are meaningfully different: Illinois averages 1.73% annually vs Arkansas's 0.6%. The median home in Illinois costs $275K vs $195K in Arkansas. Politically, Arkansas voted Republican in 2024 (R+28.0) while Illinois went Democratic (D+14.0).
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Category wins
8
Arkansas
7
Illinois
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Is it cheaper to live in Illinois or Arkansas?
Cost of Living Summary Arkansas consistently outperforms Illinois on the total cost-of-living calculation, with property taxes driving the most significant advantage.
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