Illinois
High tax burden · COL index 92
Wins 7 categories
North Carolina
Moderate tax burden · COL index 94
Wins 6 categories
Property taxes are meaningfully different: Illinois averages 1.73% annually vs North Carolina's 0.7%. Politically, North Carolina voted Republican in 2024 (R+3.0) while Illinois went Democratic (D+14.0).
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
7
Illinois
6
North Carolina
Run the full slider tool to score these states against your specific income, home value, retirement, and lifestyle priorities.
Score For My Profile →People Also Ask
Why are people moving out of the state of Illinois?
Is North Carolina more expensive than Illinois?
Rural areas will cost even less than major cities like Charlotte or Raleigh. The cost of living in Illinois is slightly higher, considered on par with the national average.
What is the downfall of living in North Carolina?
Is it cheaper to live in Illinois or South Carolina?
Is it more expensive to live in Chicago or Columbia? Overall cost of living in Columbia, SC is 23.7% lower than in Chicago, IL. The average listing price for a home in Columbia, SC is $345,221, which is 44.4% lower than Chicago, IL. The average cost of groceries in Columbia, SC is 4.8% lower than Chicago, IL.