Washington
Moderate tax burden · COL index 117
Wins 10 categories
Illinois
High tax burden · COL index 92
Wins 5 categories
Washington has no state income tax. Illinois's top rate is 4.95%. Cost of living in Washington (index 117) runs 27% higher than Illinois (index 92). Property taxes are meaningfully different: Illinois averages 1.73% annually vs Washington's 0.84%. The median home in Washington costs $570K vs $275K in Illinois.
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 →People Also Ask
Is Illinois or Washington more expensive?
Is it more expensive to live in Chicago or Seattle? Overall cost of living in Seattle, WA is 22.9% higher than in Chicago, IL. The average listing price for a home in Seattle, WA is $1,119,686, which is 80.3% higher than Chicago, IL. The average cost of groceries in Seattle, WA is 7.4% higher than Chicago, IL.
Why are people moving away from Washington State?
Is it better to live in DC or Chicago?
Why is Washington State the best state to live in?