Illinois
IL • Midwest
Quality of Life Score
54.60
State Comparison
Illinois vs Iowa
Iowa is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Iowa, Illinois has higher incomes, Illinois has lower state income tax, and Iowa gets more sunshine.
Illinois
10
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Iowa
21
/ 31
metrics won
IA wins Housing
IA wins Quality of Life
IL wins Climate
IA wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Illinois
vs
Iowa
winner
Iowa scores higher on quality of life — 1.63 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Iowa is 4.2 points cheaper overall
Iowa has the lower cost-of-living index. Iowa is at 91.0, while Illinois is at 95.2.
View detailed comparison
Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $7.64 further in Iowa
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $111.93 of local buying power in Iowa, versus $104.29 in Illinois.
View detailed comparison
Income
Illinois income is 11.1% higher
Illinois has the higher median household income at $78,433, compared with $70,571 in Iowa.
View detailed comparison
Jobs
Illinois minimum wage is $7.75 higher
Illinois has the higher statewide minimum wage at $15.00/hr, compared with $7.25/hr in Iowa.
View detailed comparison
Housing
Illinois homes cost about 1.4x more
Iowa has the lower median home value at $173,300, versus $247,500 in Illinois.
View detailed comparison
Taxes
Illinois has lower state income tax
Illinois has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 4.95%, compared with 6.00% in Iowa.
View detailed comparisonTake-Home Calculator
What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
$
$10k$250k$500k
Illinois
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.0%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Iowa
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 6.0%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Cost-of-Living Equivalent
—
* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (97.6 for Illinois, 90.4 for Iowa). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Illinois
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Illinois
- Illinois shows higher median income.
- Illinois education proxy is higher.
Cons
- Illinois has a higher overall cost of living.
- Illinois has a higher housing cost index.
- Illinois has higher median home values.
- Illinois has higher property tax rates on average.
- Illinois has a higher violent crime rate.
- Illinois job growth trend is weaker.
Iowa
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Iowa
- Iowa has a lower overall cost of living.
- Iowa has a lower housing cost index.
- Iowa has lower median home values.
- Iowa has lower property tax rates on average.
- Iowa has a lower violent crime rate.
- Iowa job growth trend is stronger.
Cons
- Iowa shows lower median income.
- Iowa education proxy is lower.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
IL
|
IA
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Springfield | Des Moines |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Red |
|
Population
|
12,812,508
|
3,190,369
|
|
Median Income
|
$78,433
|
$70,571
|
|
Cost of Living
|
95.2
|
91.0
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$247,500
|
$173,300
|
|
Property Tax
|
2.01%
|
1.39%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
4.95%
|
6.00%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$15.00/hr
|
$7.25/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$4.294/gal
|
$3.482/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
16.36 c/kWh
|
12.83 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
54.60
|
56.23
|
|
Average Temperature
|
51.8°F
|
47.8°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
95 days
|
105 days
|
|
Land Area
|
57,914 sq mi
|
56,273 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
221.2 per sq mi
|
56.7 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
December 3, 1818 (#21)
|
December 28, 1846 (#29)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
19
shown
Saving Money
Iowa is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 91.0 vs 95.2 in Illinois. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
See full data
Gas Price
Iowa is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.482/gal in Iowa vs $4.294/gal in Illinois. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
See full data
Minimum Wage
Illinois has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $15.00/hr in Illinois vs $7.25/hr in Iowa. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
See full data
Electricity Rates
Iowa has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 12.83 c/kWh in Iowa vs 16.36 c/kWh in Illinois. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
See full data
Buying a Home
Iowa is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 2.46x in Iowa vs 3.16x in Illinois. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
See full data
Renting
Iowa is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 15.5% in Iowa vs 18.8% in Illinois. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
People Also Ask
Illinois vs Iowa - Common Questions
Q Is Illinois cheaper to live in than Iowa?
Iowa has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Iowa scores 91.0 versus 95.2 for Illinois - a gap of 4.2 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Illinois or Iowa?
$100 goes further in Iowa. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $111.93 in Iowa, compared with $104.29 in Illinois.
Q Which state is bigger - Illinois or Iowa?
Illinois is larger, covering 57,914 sq mi compared with 56,273 sq mi for Iowa - roughly 1.0x the size.
Q Does Illinois or Iowa have more people?
Illinois has the larger population at 12,812,508, compared with 3,190,369 in Iowa.
Q Which state has higher household income - Illinois or Iowa?
Illinois has the higher median household income at $78,433, versus $70,571 in Iowa.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Illinois or Iowa?
Illinois has the lower state income tax top rate at 4.95%, compared with 6.00% in Iowa.
Q Is housing cheaper in Illinois or Iowa?
Homes are cheaper in Iowa, where the median home value is $173,300, versus $247,500 in Illinois.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Illinois or Iowa?
Illinois is more densely populated at 221.2 per sq mi people per sq mi. Iowa is more spread out at 56.7 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.