2026 editionMidwestPop. 12,719,141Capital Springfield21st state, admitted 1818Cook PVI D+10
Is Illinois a Good Place to Live? Illinois Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
Illinois ranks #39 of 50 with a composite score of 47.6 and a C grade, strongest in education (#13) and weakest in fiscal health (#50). The median household earns $83,211 (3% above the national median), homes typically cost $297,573 (19% below the national average), and violent crime is 251 per 100,000 (23% below the national average).
Illinois pays well, with a median income of $83,211, 3% above the national median, and GDP per capita ranked #8, a puzzle for a state ranked #39 until you see fiscal health at #50. Movers who want Chicago's wages and transit should budget for property tax at 2.11%, 1.1 points above the national average, and for a pension bill the state hasn't paid.
Illinois by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with Illinois's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the Illinois overview
Illinois scores above the national average in 4 of 11 categories and ranks #11 of 12 states in the Midwest, behind 10 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is violent crime rate (251, 23% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is total tax burden (10.22%, 1.5 points above the national average). With 3 bottom-10 finishes and no top-10 category, its case rests on price rather than performance.
Where does Illinois rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Illinois is top 10 in 0 and bottom 10 in 3.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 39.8 | #37 of 50 | C | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 4.6% and median household income is $83,211. |
| Safety | 73.4 | #22 of 50 | B | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 251 violent crimes and 1,507.5 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 58.8 | #24 of 50 | B | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 77.5 years, 34.2% of adults have obesity, and 6.9% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 65.9 | #13 of 50 | B+ | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 277 in NAEP math and 262 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 87.3%. |
| Affordability | 61.8 | #32 of 50 | C+ | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $297,573 (3.6x median income); cost of living index 100 (100 = US); center-based infant care $19,601 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 21.9 | #50 of 50 | F | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $6,750 of debt per resident, has 45% of pensions funded, and holds a BBB+ credit rating. |
| Growth | 20.0 | #45 of 50 | D | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 0.13% last year; Census net domestic migration is -3.1 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 54.2 | #17 of 50 | B+ | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 28.3 minutes, 7% of workers use public transit, and 13.6% work from home. |
| Livability | 31.4 | #28 of 50 | C+ | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.835 restaurants and 0.034 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.231 bars and 0.078 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 5.8 | #49 of 50 | F | 6% | 29.4 | 2.4% of its land is public, with 1.78 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 31.0 | #39 of 50 | C | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 43, 20% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 31.2. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
Illinois's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Illinois bulges toward education and dips at fiscal health.
How expensive is Illinois?
Illinois's cost of living index is 100 against a national baseline of 100, in line with the national average and #33 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $297,573 (19% below the national average); buying it takes an income of about $93,442, $10,231 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Decatur is cheapest (index 88.4) and Hoffman Estates priciest (103.6).
Housing market snapshot · August
Warm marketRanked #34 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #20 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $10,231 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.
Full Illinois housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | Illinois | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$23,834 | −$11,758 | #35 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$30,341 | +$31,418 | #27 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$34,016 | +$35,970 | #28 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in Illinois?
Illinois's tax mix is high property tax, high sales tax, with income tax in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 10.22% of income, 1.5 points above the national average (#44 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 2.11% of home value (#49), and combined sales tax averages 8.96% (#43).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 21.9 out of 100, #50 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is Illinois safe?
Illinois reports 251 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 23% below the national average and #20 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,508 per 100,000, 2% below the national average (#28 of 50). The safety score is 73.4 out of 100, #22 of 50; among tracked cities, Orland Park has the lowest violent crime rate.
Illinois vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in Illinois
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orland Park | 57,916 | 9 | 995 |
| Wheaton | 53,557 | 34 | 473 |
| Arlington Heights | 76,005 | 43 | 764 |
| Mount Prospect | 55,472 | 56 | 794 |
| Schaumburg | 76,868 | 68 | 1,644 |
Lowest violent crime among the 29 Illinois cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in Illinois?
Illinois's unemployment rate is 4.6%, 0.6 points above the national average and #41 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $83,211, 3% above the national median. Real GDP grew +1.6% in the latest year (#33 of 50) and GDP per capita is $74,153, 15% above the national average. The population is growing 0.13% a year, 0.4 points below the national average. The economy score is 39.8 out of 100, #37 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in Illinois, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $253,714 | $251,177 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin |
| Lawyers | $184,326 | $182,483 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin |
| Software Developers | $146,220 | $144,758 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $118,487 | $117,302 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin |
| General & Operations Managers | $117,716 | $116,539 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are Illinois's schools and healthcare?
Illinois's education score is 65.9 out of 100, #13 of 50. Eighth graders average 277 in NAEP math (#16 of 50) and 262 in reading (#7 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 87.3%, 1.7 points above the national average (#20 of 50).
Tracked school cities with the smallest classes
| City | Students / teacher | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
| Evanston | 11.1 | $29,603 |
| Des Plaines | 11.4 | $25,970 |
| Skokie | 12.1 | $29,447 |
The federal EDFacts file does not publish city-level graduation rates for Illinois, so cities are ranked by students per teacher instead. NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release; cities with at least three schools.
Illinois is #24 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 77.5 years, 0.6 years above the national average. 34.2% of adults have obesity (#25 of 50) and 6.9% of residents have no health insurance (#24 of 50). The health score is 58.8 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to Illinois, and who is leaving?
Illinois lost a net 28,609 households to other states in the latest IRS release: 117,297 moved in and 145,906 moved out, -2.2 per 1,000 residents (#47 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $78,820 against $104,443 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net -82.4K people (200.0K in, 282.4K out, ±17.9K), consistent with the IRS direction.
Where they come from
- 1Indiana10,141 · $56,026
- 2Florida9,299 · $96,665
- 3California9,063 · $104,270
- 4Texas8,236 · $92,152
- 5Wisconsin8,111 · $67,312
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1Florida14,834 · $223,120
- 2Indiana12,570 · $67,368
- 3Texas12,078 · $103,260
- 4Wisconsin11,331 · $80,752
- 5California10,407 · $108,589
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in Illinois?
By composite score, the best of the 29 Illinois cities we track are Naperville (73.2), Wheaton (72), and Arlington Heights (70.8). Decatur is the cheapest (cost index 88.4), Naperville the richest ($155,105), and Wheaton the fastest growing (+1.3% a year). City ranks are among the 29 Illinois cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in Illinois
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Orland Park | 9 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Decatur | cost of living index 88.4 |
| Most walkable | Skokie | walkability 16 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Waukegan | median AQI 39 (county) |
| Richest | Naperville | $155,105 |
Among the 29 Illinois cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of Illinois
The job market, the transit, the expense and the crime, all in one city that varies more by neighborhood than the rest of the state does by county.
Evanston, Skokie, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Schaumburg and Des Plaines: the North Shore money, top districts, Metra into the Loop, and the property bills that come with all three.
Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook, Joliet and Elgin: newer subdivisions, the state's highest incomes in Naperville, long commutes and a cost index that matches Chicago's.
Springfield, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, Champaign and Decatur: state government, insurance, the university and agribusiness; cheap housing, short commutes and crime that depends on the city.
Rockford's factory economy to the north, the Metro East and coal-and-farm counties to the south; the cheapest land in the state and the fewest jobs.
All 29 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naperville | A+ | 73.2 | 150,692 | $155,105 | 70 | 103.6 |
| 2 | Wheaton | A+ | 72.0 | 53,557 | $120,008 | 34 | 103.6 |
| 3 | Arlington Heights | A+ | 70.8 | 76,005 | $116,723 | 43 | 103.6 |
| 4 | Evanston | A+ | 69.6 | 76,340 | $96,434 | 115 | 103.6 |
| 5 | Des Plaines | A+ | 69.4 | 59,156 | $97,875 | 108 | 103.6 |
| 6 | Mount Prospect | A+ | 69.2 | 55,472 | $101,720 | 56 | 103.6 |
| 7 | Oak Park | A+ | 69.2 | 53,292 | $110,820 | 236 | 103.6 |
| 8 | Skokie | A+ | 68.7 | 66,219 | $95,337 | 151 | 103.6 |
| 9 | Hoffman Estates | A+ | 68.0 | 51,175 | $106,806 | 75 | 103.6 |
| 10 | Schaumburg | A | 67.0 | 76,868 | $97,514 | 68 | 103.6 |
| 11 | Palatine | A | 66.5 | 66,293 | $97,819 | 86 | 103.6 |
| 12 | Tinley Park | A | 65.7 | 54,842 | $105,189 | 93 | 103.6 |
| 13 | Orland Park | A | 65.3 | 57,916 | $98,910 | 9 | 103.6 |
| 14 | Bolingbrook | A | 63.8 | 74,096 | $108,400 | 220 | 103.6 |
| 15 | Bloomington | B+ | 62.2 | 78,907 | $77,384 | 318 | 93.5 |
| 16 | Oak Lawn | B+ | 61.7 | 56,861 | $83,911 | 73 | 103.6 |
| 17 | Berwyn | B+ | 60.5 | 55,595 | $78,408 | 161 | 103.6 |
| 18 | Aurora | B+ | 60.4 | 179,898 | $93,633 | 220 | 103.6 |
| 19 | Champaign | B+ | 59.6 | 89,996 | $56,118 | 374 | 92.7 |
| 20 | Elgin | B+ | 59.4 | 114,934 | $90,282 | 218 | 103.6 |
| 21 | Chicago | B | 58.7 | 2,711,226 | $77,902 | 420 | 103.6 |
| 22 | Cicero | B | 58.0 | 82,797 | $70,842 | 222 | 103.6 |
| 23 | Normal | B | 57.7 | 53,569 | $64,785 | 290 | 93.5 |
| 24 | Joliet | B | 56.6 | 150,445 | $92,201 | 344 | 103.6 |
| 25 | Waukegan | C+ | 55.0 | 89,076 | $71,919 | 375 | 103.6 |
| 26 | Springfield | C | 51.1 | 113,330 | $66,064 | 895 | 92.7 |
| 27 | Peoria | D | 46.5 | 112,169 | $59,410 | 1,256 | 91.2 |
| 28 | Rockford | F | 42.5 | 147,521 | $54,752 | 900 | 92.2 |
| 29 | Decatur | F | 41.9 | 69,815 | $51,592 | 682 | 88.4 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 29 Illinois cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in Illinois for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naperville | 73.7 | 71.6 | 98.2 | 50.0 |
| 2 | Des Plaines | 73.1 | 95.3 | 94.2 | 62.1 |
| 3 | Wheaton | 72.7 | 68.3 | 100.0 | 54.6 |
| 4 | Skokie | 72.4 | 93.0 | 78.6 | 60.5 |
| 5 | Evanston | 72.3 | 96.3 | 82.2 | 54.0 |
Who is Illinois best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Illinois cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does Illinois compare with its neighbors?
Illinois ranks #39. Among its bordering states, Wisconsin ranks highest (#11) and Kentucky lowest (#41). Kentucky is the most similar on the composite score and Wisconsin the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | #39 | 47.6 | $83,211 | $297,573 | 100 | 251 | 10.22% | |
| Wisconsin | #11 | 70.6 | $77,488 | $339,699 | 94.1 | 240 | 8.31% | Compare → |
| Iowa | #14 | 69.2 | $75,501 | $239,547 | 87.8 | 234 | 9.23% | Compare → |
| Indiana | #22 | 59.2 | $71,959 | $260,095 | 93.3 | 254 | 9.09% | Compare → |
| Missouri | #34 | 51.0 | $71,589 | $267,879 | 90.8 | 418 | 7.83% | Compare → |
| Kentucky | #41 | 44.8 | $64,526 | $232,577 | 90.2 | 212 | 8.93% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 29 Illinois city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the Illinois numbers say when read together.
Education is Illinois's strongest suit
Illinois is a #39 state overall but #13 of 50 for education, 26 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 65.9 against a national average of 57.5. Transportation (#17) is next. Education carries 12% of the composite.
Fiscal Health is where Illinois falls furthest behind
Illinois ranks #50 of 50 for fiscal health, 11 places below its overall #39, with a score of 21.9 against a national average of 58.1. At 8% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Violent crime rate is 23% below the national average
Illinois's violent crime rate is 251, 23% below the national average of 328, #20 of 50 (1 = safest). The largest gap in the other direction is total tax burden: 10.22%, 1.5 points above the national average. Source: FBI estimates, latest release.
More households leave than arrive
Illinois ranks #47 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (-2.2). The households arriving report $25,623 less in average income than those leaving ($78,820 against $104,443), so the state is trading down on income even as the headcount shrinks. The largest source is Indiana; the largest destination is Florida.
A middle income is squeezed harder here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $23,834 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#35 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $30,341 surplus; a retiree couple at a $34,016 surplus. Infant childcare runs $19,601 a year, 25% above the national average.
Illinois sits 5th among its 6-state neighborhood
4 of Illinois's 5 bordering states rank above its #39; the closest match on the composite is Kentucky. Median income among them runs from $64,526 in Kentucky to $77,488 in Wisconsin; Illinois is at $83,211.
Frequently asked questions about living in Illinois
Is Illinois a good place to live?
Illinois ranks #39 of 50 with a C grade, #11 of 12 in the Midwest. It is bottom 10 in growth, outdoor access, and fiscal health. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 3 of 6 (income, home prices, and violent crime) and trails on cost of living, unemployment, and tax burden. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does Illinois rank among US states?
Illinois ranks #39 of 50 overall with a composite score of 47.6 (grade C), and #11 of 12 states in the Midwest. Its best category rank is #13 (education) and its worst #50 (fiscal health). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so C means rank 35–42.
Is it expensive to live in Illinois?
At #33 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Illinois is in line with the national average: its index is 100 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $297,573 (19% below the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $93,442 against a median household income of $83,211. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $23,834 shortfall after all costs, #35 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does Illinois have a state income tax?
Yes. Illinois's top state income tax rate is 4.95% (#22 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 10.22% of income, 1.5 points above the national average. Property tax is 2.11% of home value and combined sales tax 8.96%.
What is the crime rate in Illinois?
Illinois reports 251 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 23% below the national average and #20 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,508 property crimes per 100,000, 2% below the national average (#28). Its safety score is 73.4 out of 100, #22 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does Illinois have good schools?
Illinois is #13 of 50 for education (score 65.9 out of 100). Its public school students average 277 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#16) and 262 in eighth-grade reading (#7), and the high school graduation rate is 87.3%, 1.7 points above the national average (#20). The federal school files we use do not publish city-level graduation rates for Illinois, so cities are compared on students per teacher and spending instead.
Why are people leaving Illinois?
Illinois lost a net 28,609 households in the latest IRS release: 117,297 moved in and 145,906 moved out, -2.2 per 1,000 residents (#47 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is Indiana (10,141 households) and the most common destination is Florida (14,834). Arriving households report an average income of $78,820 against $104,443 for those leaving, so movers out earn more than movers in. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is Illinois a red or blue state?
Illinois leans blue: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is D+10, meaning it votes about 10 points more Democratic than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
What are the downsides of living in Illinois?
Taxes and the state's finances, then winter. Property tax is 2.11%, #49; sales tax is 8.96%; and the state ranks #50 on fiscal health, which is why residents assume taxes go up, not down. The credit rating is BBB+, the lowest of any state. Chicago winters are windy and long. The upside is real: wages, transit and hospitals most of the Midwest can't match.
Is Illinois tax-friendly for retirees?
On income, yes; on property, no. Illinois exempts all retirement income, Social Security, pensions and retirement-plan withdrawals, from its flat income tax. The property tax at 2.11% arrives, and for a retiree who owns a suburban house it can exceed the income tax saved. Senior homestead exemptions and an assessment freeze soften it. A retiree couple on $75,000 ends the year at a $34,016 surplus, #28 nationally.
Do I need a car in Illinois?
In Chicago, no; anywhere else, yes. 7% of commuters statewide ride transit, #4 nationally, and almost all of them are on the CTA, Metra or Pace in the Chicago area, where a car is a cost rather than a necessity. Everywhere downstate you drive, with gas at $3.18 per gallon, 4% below the national average. Mean commute is 28.3 minutes, dragged up by Chicago's long train rides.
Is Illinois cheaper than Wisconsin?
Depends on which side of the metro you mean. Illinois's cost index is 100, above Wisconsin's, and Chicago metro rent of $2,210 is far above Milwaukee's. Wisconsin's typical home is pricier statewide, mostly because Madison and the Milwaukee suburbs have grown. On taxes, Wisconsin's property tax is high but below Illinois's 2.11%, and its total burden is lower. Illinois pays more.
Where in Illinois should I live?
Car-free professionals: Chicago's north side or Evanston. Families paying for schools: Naperville, Arlington Heights or the North Shore, with Metra into the Loop and a property bill to match. Buyers who don't need Chicago: Bloomington-Normal is the safest tracked city, and Springfield and Champaign are cheap with short commutes. Value hunters with Chicago jobs: Aurora, Elgin or Joliet on outer Metra lines, or Indiana.
All the numbers
Every metric behind Illinois's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.