Illinois
D+14 · High tax burden · COL index 92
4.95%
Income Tax
413
Violent Crime / 100K
77.2
Life Expectancy
$275K
Median Home
$1,650
Childcare / Mo
State Profile
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Taxes
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Income Tax
Property Tax
~$4,758/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
Estate Tax
Inheritance Tax
Capital Gains
Housing & Cost of Living
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Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Crime & Safety
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Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Near national avg
Traffic Fatality Rate
Healthcare
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State Healthcare Rank
Life Expectancy
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Education
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K-12 Quality Rank
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
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Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Utilities & Daily Costs
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Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Airports & Travel
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Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Top-25 US airport by passengers
Culture & Lifestyle
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Urban Population
Highly urban — big city feel
Restaurant Density
Religious Congregations
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
2.1/100K residents — Growing
Craft Distilleries
Strong spirits scene
Live Music
Chicago blues and jazz capital; Lollapalooza, Pitchfork Music Festival; deep house origin
Transportation
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Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Social & Legal
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Abortion Access
Legal to viability; strong state protections
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
Chicago area has multiple commercial casinos. Sports betting legal since 2020. Rivers Casino in Des Plaines is busy.
Age of Consent
Sex Education
Sex ed required by state
Medically Accurate Required
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
Sun Meadow Country Club (Peoria) · Illinois Naturists (Chicago area)
Environment & Climate
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Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Near national avg
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
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2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Jobs & Economy
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Job Market
+0.7% job growth · 4.7% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Strong tech presence
Healthcare Jobs
Remote Work
Median Household Income
Business Climate
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Corporate Income Tax
High corporate rate — plan entity structure carefully
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Bottom-10 nationally
9.5% total (7% + 2.5% personal property replacement tax)
Daily Life
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Gas Price (Regular)
Above avg (+0.18 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Sparklers (under 36") and novelties only; Chicago bans all
Weather & Natural Risks
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Winter Severity
Avg January high: 31°F
Summer Heat
Moderate summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
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Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
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Veteran-Friendly Score
5.8% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
100% disabled: full property tax exempt
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
Explore Illinois counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county
See your full cost of living in Illinois
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.
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COL 92 vs 91 · 4.95% vs 5.9% income tax
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IL vs MN
Illinois vs Minnesota
COL 92 vs 95 · 4.95% vs 9.85% income tax
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IL vs DE
Illinois vs Delaware
COL 92 vs 102 · 4.95% vs 6.6% income tax
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IL vs VA
Illinois vs Virginia
COL 92 vs 102 · 4.95% vs 5.75% income tax
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Trending in Illinois
Board of Trustees action items, July 24, 2026 - Illinois State University News
Illinois State University News · Jul 24
Pritzker for president? Handicapping the Illinois governor’s political future - NPR Illinois
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Q&A: Right to Electronic Monitoring Extended to Illinois Assisted and Shared Living Facilities - Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP · Jul 24
Illinois passes law raising compensation for wrongfully incarcerated - The Chicago Crusader
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What Residents Say
Has anyone moved out of Illinois due to the rising costs? ...
I've lived in Illinois for the last 15 years and have enjoyed it for the most part, but the outrageous price increases we're seeing on EVERYTHING since ......
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Moving to Illinois pros and cons
We currently pay about $6000 a year … self-inflicted city/county taxes up in the suburbs. taxes are downright reasonable for what we get here. ......
reddit.com ↗
Wanting to move to Chicago but concerned with Illinois ...
Illinois state income tax (4.95%): $2,574. After state tax: $49,426. $28/hour in Chicago: Gross annual salary: $58,240. Illinois state income ......
reddit.com ↗
People who moved from Illinois to Indiana - did you save ...
Generally depending on where you live in Illinois ・ pay a lower property tax. I went from paying about $100 to over $400 a year ・ only 14 ......
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Moving to Illinois? : r/movingtoillinois
Hello, I’m new to this subreddit and considering a move due to limited job opportunities in Utah. Could some residents help me with a few questions? ......
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How much do people actually pay in property taxes ...
If you live in the house you get an exemption, which is 100 * the local tax rate so usually around $700. Our taxes are about $2-3k/year. A lot ......
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Looking into moving to Illinois, how do you feel about the ...
I generally hold Illinois with a high regard and am thinking of moving due to more liberal politics, do you guys feel like it is a material difference ......
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Thinking of moving from TX : r/illinois
Illinois is ranked 8th overall by highest tax burdens. Taxes in Illinois are collectively more expensive than Texas....
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How far does $98k go where you live? : r/illinois
Hey! I read that you need to make about $98k to live “comfortably” in Illinois. Since Illinois is so big with multiple market areas (each with a different ......
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Are IL taxes really so much higher than any other state?
Yes we have high property taxes. We also have great schools. We are not taxed on social security or retirement income. Does that balance out against ......
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Stay Current
Get notified when Illinois tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.