Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN vs. Bremer County, IA
Empirical side-by-side analysis of regional cost of living, HUD fair market rents, statutory tax burdens, and occupational compensation spread.
Featured Metro Comparisons
BLS median wage across all occupations, HUD one-bedroom Fair Market Rent, and state and local income tax on a $75,000 salary for a single filer, first metro over second.
| Comparison | Median Wage | 1BR Rent / mo | Tax on $75k | Median Buys More In |
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Featured Occupation Comparisons
National BLS OEWS median wage and employment, first occupation over second.
| Comparison | National Median | BLS Jobs | Higher Median |
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How the comparisons are calculated
Metro comparisons use each area's BLS OEWS May 2025 median wage across all occupations, HUD's FY2027 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent, and the state and local income tax a single filer owes on $75,000 under 2026 rules. "Median buys more in" divides each median by the area's living-cost index from the EPI Family Budget Calculator; it reads "Not published" where BLS or EPI publishes no figure for the area.
Occupation comparisons use national BLS OEWS medians and job counts. Each comparison page goes further: the occupations both metros publish wages for, or each occupation's 10th to 90th percentile pay and the metros where both are published. Pick any two metros or occupations above to build your own comparison.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Bremer County, IA
Executive Takeaway & Purchasing Power Verdict
The BLS median wage across all occupations is $54,720 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and $47,430 in Bremer County, IA (BLS figure for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area), 13.3% lower in Bremer County. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,780 a month in Chicago and $782 in Bremer County (56.1% lower in Bremer County). On a $75,000 salary a single filer pays $2,198 in state and local income tax in Bremer County versus $3,568 in Chicago, $1,370 less a year in Bremer County. EPI family budgets put overall living costs 22.4% lower in Bremer County, so $75,000 in Chicago goes about as far as $58,220 in Bremer County. Adjusted for living costs, the median wage buys about 11.6% more in Bremer County, IA than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN vs Bremer County, IA: Shared Occupation Wages
Comparing empirical BLS median wages across common professions in both labor markets.
| Category / Role | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Median | Bremer County, IA Median | Advantage Delta | Action |
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Head-to-Head Comparison Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN or Bremer County, IA?
Bremer County, IA is cheaper: its cost-of-living index (from EPI family budgets, U.S. = 100) is 97.7 versus 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,780 a month in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and $782 in Bremer County, IA.
How much do I need to earn in Bremer County, IA to match $75,000 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
About $58,220. That scales $75,000 by the ratio of the two metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 97.7 in Bremer County, IA); it does not account for differences in taxes.
Do jobs pay more in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN or Bremer County, IA?
The BLS median wage across all occupations is $54,720 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and $47,430 in Bremer County, IA (BLS figure for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area). Pay for a specific occupation can differ; the table on this page compares BLS medians for occupations published in both metros.
How do income taxes compare between Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Bremer County, IA?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN has a top state rate of 4.95%; a single filer earning $75,000 pays $3,568 in state and local income tax there. Bremer County, IA has a top state rate of 3.8%; a single filer earning $75,000 pays $2,198 in state and local income tax there. Federal income tax and FICA are the same in both.
Where does the median wage go further?
Dividing each metro's BLS median wage by its cost-of-living index, the median wage buys about 11.6% more in Bremer County, IA than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN vs. Bremer County, IA: Reverse Comparison & Regional Hubs
Side-by-side wage, living expense, & tax arbitrage comparison for Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN vs. Bremer County, IA. Empirical BLS earnings & HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN vs. Bremer County, IA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
Bremer County, IA is cheaper: its cost-of-living index (from EPI family budgets, U.S. = 100) is 97.7 versus 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,780 a month in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and $782 in Bremer County, IA.
About $58,220. That scales $75,000 by the ratio of the two metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 97.7 in Bremer County, IA); it does not account for differences in taxes.