State comparison
Washington vs Illinois: which state is better to live in?
Washington costs a median household about $3,500 a year less in state and local taxes than Illinois, mostly because it has no income tax, though everyday prices run higher there (cost of living index 117 against 92).
Washington
Moderate tax burden · COL index 117
Wins 10 categories
Illinois
High tax burden · COL index 92
Wins 5 categories
Taxes: Washington vs Illinois
Washington has no state income tax. 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. Washington wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.84% of home value a year in Washington and 1.73% in Illinois (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $4,788 against $4,758, so Washington has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 9.38% in Washington and 8.82% in Illinois; Illinois is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $6,887 a year in Washington, $10,423 in Illinois. Washington is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Washington's cost of living index is 117 and Illinois's is 92, where 100 is the national average; Illinois is about 27% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $570K in Washington and $275K in Illinois (Zillow, 2024), a $295K gap in Illinois's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $2,000 a month in Washington and $1,400 in Illinois.
Home insurance averages $900 a year in Washington and $1,900 in Illinois, so Washington is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 347 incidents per 100,000 residents in Washington and 413 in Illinois (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Washington is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 19% lower. Property crime is 3,187 per 100,000 in Washington against 1,666 in Illinois, again favoring Illinois.
Health
Life expectancy is 79.3 years in Washington and 77.2 in Illinois (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 2.1-year edge for Washington. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Washington's health system 10th of 50 and Illinois's 20th, so Washington scores better on care.
6.5% of Washington residents have no health insurance against 7.4% in Illinois, which favors Washington. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Washington's K-12 schools 7th in the country and Illinois's 16th, 9 places apart in Washington's favor. Neither state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Washington went to Harris by 16 points and Illinois went to Harris by 14 points.
Washington has shall-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; Illinois has shall-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 $16.28 an hour in Washington and $14.00 in Illinois.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is high in Washington (wildfire, earthquake, flood) and moderate in Illinois (tornado, flood, blizzard), so Illinois is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 40 in Washington and 45 in Illinois (under 50 is good), favoring Washington.
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
10
Washington
5
Illinois
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 Washington or Illinois better to live in?
Washington wins more of the measures that decide a move. Washington on taxes ($6,887 a year for a median household against $10,423); Illinois on everyday costs (index 92 against 117); Washington on safety (347 violent crimes per 100,000 against 413); Washington on schools (ranked 7th against 16th).
Which is cheaper, Washington or Illinois?
Illinois is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 92 against 117. The median home is $570K in Washington and $275K in Illinois (2024). On state and local taxes Washington saves a median household about $3,500 a year.
Does Washington or Illinois have lower taxes?
Washington. A household earning $74,580 pays about $6,887 a year in Washington ($0 income tax, $4,788 property tax on the median home and $2,099 in sales tax) and $10,423 in Illinois ($3,692 income tax, $4,758 property tax on the median home and $1,973 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Washington or Illinois?
Washington, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 347 per 100,000 residents in Washington and 413 in Illinois; property crime is 3,187 against 1,666.
Which has better schools, Washington or Illinois?
Washington. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Washington 7th of 50 for K-12 and Illinois 16th.
Is Washington or Illinois better for retirees?
Both treat retirement income about the same. Washington does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has an estate tax; Illinois does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has an estate tax. Property tax on a median home is $4,788 a year in Washington and $4,758 in Illinois.