State comparison
Illinois vs New York: which state is better to live in?
Illinois costs a median household about $1,900 a year less in state and local taxes than New York, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $4,758 a year against $6,580 in New York.
Illinois
High tax burden · COL index 92
Wins 6 categories
New York
High tax burden · COL index 139
Wins 8 categories
Taxes: Illinois vs New York
Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax, which works out to 5.0% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,692 a year. New York has a graduated income tax topping out at 10.9%, which works out to 5.2% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,862 a year. Illinois wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 1.73% of home value a year in Illinois and 1.40% in New York (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $4,758 against $6,580, so New York has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.82% in Illinois and 8.52% in New York; New York is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $10,423 a year in Illinois, $12,349 in New York. Illinois is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Illinois's cost of living index is 92 and New York's is 139, where 100 is the national average; Illinois is about 51% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $275K in Illinois and $470K in New York (Zillow, 2024), a $195K gap in Illinois's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,400 a month in Illinois and $2,200 in New York.
Home insurance averages $1,900 a year in Illinois and $1,800 in New York, so New York is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 413 incidents per 100,000 residents in Illinois and 379 in New York (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); New York is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 9% lower. Property crime is 1,666 per 100,000 in Illinois against 1,480 in New York, again favoring New York.
Health
Life expectancy is 77.2 years in Illinois and 79.3 in New York (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 2.1-year edge for New York. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Illinois's health system 20th of 50 and New York's 15th, so New York scores better on care.
7.4% of Illinois residents have no health insurance against 5.4% in New York, which favors New York. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Illinois's K-12 schools 16th in the country and New York's 12th, 4 places apart in New York's favor. Neither state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Illinois went to Harris by 14 points and New York went to Harris by 12 points.
Illinois has shall-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; New York has may-issue carry permits and a grade of A.
Abortion is protected by state law in both states, and marijuana is legal for adults in both as of 2026. The minimum wage is $14.00 an hour in Illinois and $16.00 in New York.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is moderate in Illinois (tornado, flood, blizzard) and moderate in New York (hurricane, blizzard, nor-easter). Annual average air quality index is 45 in Illinois and 38 in New York (under 50 is good), favoring New York.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
6
Illinois
8
New York
Run the full slider tool to score these states against your specific income, home value, retirement, and lifestyle priorities.
Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Illinois or New York better to live in?
It depends on what you weigh most. Illinois on taxes ($10,423 a year for a median household against $12,349); Illinois on everyday costs (index 92 against 139); New York on safety (379 violent crimes per 100,000 against 413); New York on schools (ranked 12th against 16th).
Which is cheaper, Illinois or New York?
Illinois is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 92 against 139. The median home is $275K in Illinois and $470K in New York (2024). On state and local taxes Illinois saves a median household about $1,900 a year.
Does Illinois or New York have lower taxes?
Illinois. A household earning $74,580 pays about $10,423 a year in Illinois ($3,692 income tax, $4,758 property tax on the median home and $1,973 in sales tax) and $12,349 in New York ($3,862 income tax, $6,580 property tax on the median home and $1,906 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Illinois or New York?
New York, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 413 per 100,000 residents in Illinois and 379 in New York; property crime is 1,666 against 1,480.
Which has better schools, Illinois or New York?
New York. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Illinois 16th of 50 for K-12 and New York 12th.
Is Illinois or New York better for retirees?
Both treat retirement income about the same. Illinois does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has an estate tax; New York does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has an estate tax. Property tax on a median home is $4,758 a year in Illinois and $6,580 in New York.