Cost of living in Illinois
Prices in Illinois are 0.0% below the US average (19th highest of 51). A single filer on $75,000 pays $3,568 in state income tax. State sales tax: 6.25%.
Price levels in Illinois
| BEA RPP 2024 | Illinois | vs US (100) |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 100.0 | −0.0% |
| Goods | 103.8 | +3.8% |
| Housing (rents) | 93.9 | −6.1% |
| Utilities | 85.0 | −15.0% |
| Other services | 100.2 | +0.2% |
Metros in Illinois
Metros whose principal city is in Illinois. “Left over” = a single renter earning $60,000, after 2026 taxes (including the principal city’s local tax) and modeled costs.
| Metro | Population | Price level | 2-BR FMR | Infant care / wk* | Left over / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL-IN | 9,434,123 | 103.6 | $2,011 | $278 | $475 |
| Peoria, IL | 363,505 | 91.2 | $1,212 | $279 | $1,430 |
| Rockford, IL | 337,242 | 92.2 | $1,172 | $282 | $1,495 |
| Champaign, IL | 239,979 | 92.7 | $1,173 | $309 | $1,395 |
| Springfield, IL | 206,033 | 92.7 | $1,237 | $196 | $1,414 |
| Bloomington, IL | 171,419 | 93.5 | $1,287 | $314 | $1,395 |
| Kankakee, IL | 105,525 | 96.4 | $1,349 | $202 | $1,360 |
| Decatur, IL | 99,300 | 88.4 | $1,091 | $231 | $1,534 |
*Center-based, DOL 2022 price for the metro’s principal county; a year in brackets marks an older latest-available price. “No data”: DOL publishes no price for that county, and childcare is left out of its budgets.
Also partly in Illinois: St. Louis, MO-IL, Davenport, IA-IL, Paducah, KY-IL, Cape Girardeau, MO-IL.
Taxes in Illinois (2026)
| Annual tax | Single, $50,000 | Single, $75,000 | Single, $120,000 | Couple, 2 kids, $120,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,820 | $7,670 | $17,570 | $5,640 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $3,825 | $5,738 | $9,180 | $9,180 |
| Illinois income tax | $2,330 | $3,568 | $5,795 | $5,361 |
| Illinois payroll taxes | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay / month | $3,335 | $4,835 | $7,288 | $8,318 |
Annual liability, standard deduction, Child Tax Credit; local income taxes are not included in this state-level table (see each metro). On $75,000, Illinois’s income and payroll taxes cost $3,568 a year more than in a state without them (federal taxes are the same: $13,408).
Childcare prices across Illinois
| Age band | Center, median county / wk (2022) | Center / yr today* | Home-based / wk (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $234 | $14,850 | $158 |
| Toddler (2) | $205 | $13,031 | $158 |
| Preschool (3–4) | $172 | $10,912 | $147 |
| School-age (5–12) | $42 | $2,647 | $38 |
Center-based infant care ranges from $131 a week in Hamilton County to $374 in DuPage County (2022 prices).
DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022; median across 89 counties with 2022 data (13 more counties have only an older year and are not included here). *52 weeks × 1.2224 BLS CPI for day care and preschool, 2022 average to 2026-08. Look up a county.
Property taxes by county
Effective rate = Census median real estate taxes ÷ median home value (ACS 2020-2024), metro-area counties.
| County | Median value | Median tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | $345,700 | $8,923 | 2.58% |
| DeKalb County | $243,600 | $5,974 | 2.45% |
| Winnebago County | $164,500 | $3,930 | 2.39% |
| Kendall County | $322,400 | $7,651 | 2.37% |
| McHenry County | $308,100 | $7,274 | 2.36% |
| Stark County | $104,500 | $1,768 | 1.69% |
| Monroe County | $282,100 | $4,588 | 1.63% |
| Macoupin County | $138,200 | $2,073 | 1.50% |
| Massac County | $121,900 | $1,704 | 1.40% |
| Calhoun County | $190,900 | $2,644 | 1.39% |
Five highest and five lowest of 37 counties.
Energy and fuel
EIA: electricity 2025, natural gas 2024, gasoline week ending 2026-10-05.
Who moves to and from Illinois
Census state-to-state migration flows (2024 ACS 1-year; people 1 year and over, ± margin of error at 90%). Totals cover moves between states and DC only: 199,996 in, 282,434 out (net −82,438).
Frequently asked questions
Is Illinois expensive to live in?+
BEA’s Regional Price Parities put Illinois’s overall price level at 100.0 in 2024 (US = 100), the 19th highest of 51 states and DC. Housing is 93.9 and goods 103.8.
Does Illinois have a state income tax?+
Yes. A single filer earning $75,000 owes about $3,568 in Illinois income tax under 2026 law (4.8% of pay).
What is the sales tax in Illinois?+
The state rate is 6.25% (as of 2026-10-13); groceries are exempt from the state rate. Local sales taxes can add to this.
What is the most affordable metro in Illinois?+
For a single renter earning $60,000, Decatur, IL leaves the most each month after taxes and modeled costs ($1,534), and Chicago, IL-IN the least ($475).