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Illinois

D+14  ·  High tax burden  ·  COL index 92

C

4.95%

Income Tax

413

Violent Crime / 100K

77.2

Life Expectancy

$275K

Median Home

$1,650

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

62/100
255075100TAXES43SAFETY55HEALTH61SCHOOLS69AFFORDABLE83LONGEVITY60

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Taxes

Income Tax

4.95% flat

Property Tax

~$4,758/yr on median home

1.73% / yr

Sales Tax

8.82% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Fully Exempt

Estate Tax

Yes — $4M exemption

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

92

Median Home Price

$275,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,400/mo

Home Insurance

$1,900/yr

Flood Insurance

$650/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

$15,000

Asset Protection

Weak

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Near national avg

413 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

1,666 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

9.6 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

#20 of 50

Life Expectancy

77.2 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Expanded

Uninsured Rate

7.4%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

#16 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Not Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

$1,650/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$145/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$510/mo

Road Quality Rank

#40 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

200+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Top-25 US airport by passengers

Yes

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Highly urban — big city feel

88% urban

Restaurant Density

520/100K

Religious Congregations

180/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

6 teams

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

10 venues

Craft Breweries

2.1/100K residents — Growing

270 breweries

Craft Distilleries

Strong spirits scene

55 distilleries

Live Music

Chicago blues and jazz capital; Lollapalooza, Pitchfork Music Festival; deep house origin

World-class

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$1,650

Traffic Fatality Rate

9.6 / 100K

Broadband Access

88% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

Legal to viability; strong state protections

Protected

LGBTQ+ Protections

Comprehensive

Marijuana

Recreational

Minimum Wage

$14/hr

Right to Work

No

Sports Betting

Legal

Casino Gambling

Commercial casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

Chicago area has multiple commercial casinos. Sports betting legal since 2020. Rivers Casino in Des Plaines is busy.

Yes

Age of Consent

17

Sex Education

Sex ed required by state

Comprehensive

Medically Accurate Required

Yes

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

Sun Meadow Country Club (Peoria) · Illinois Naturists (Chicago area)

Clubs only

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

45

Natural Disaster Risk

Moderate

Primary Hazards

tornadofloodblizzard

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

D+14

Gun Laws

Gun ControlA
2A LibertyF

Carry Permit

Shall-issue

Purchase Permit Required

Yes

Gambling

Legal

Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+0.7% job growth · 4.7% unemployment

Moderate

Top Industries

FinanceHealthcareManufacturing

Tech Jobs

Strong tech presence

#9 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#10 of 50

Remote Work

23% of workers

Median Household Income

$72,205

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Above avg (+0.18 vs national avg)

$3.48/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Sparklers (under 36") and novelties only; Chicago bans all

Restricted

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 31°F

Cold

Summer Heat

Moderate summers

84°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

39" / yr

Tornado Risk

Moderate

Hurricane Risk

Very Low

Wildfire Risk

Very Low

Flood Risk

Moderate

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

5.8% of state population are veterans

68/100

Property Tax Exemption

100% disabled: full property tax exempt

Full (disabled)

Military Retirement Pay

Taxed

Active Duty Pay

Tax Exempt

VA Facilities Access

Good

Notable Benefits

Active duty pay exempt

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IL vs DE

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COL 92 vs 102 · 4.95% vs 6.6% income tax

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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.

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