Relocation: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Ames, IA
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Ames, IA.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Ames, IA
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Ames (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $944 | -$836 | -47.0% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $361 | -$24 | -6.2% |
| Transportation | $947 | $1,064 | +$117 | +12.4% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $395 | -$21 | -5.0% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $384 | -$188 | -32.9% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $2,005 | -$130 | -6.1% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Ames Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $97,700 | -$11,690 (-10.7%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $77,160 | -$23,330 (-23.2%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $79,320 | -$3,040 (-3.7%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $124,010 | -$44,800 (-26.5%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,380 | $129,440 | -$4,940 (-3.7%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,090 | $88,510 | -$16,580 (-15.8%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $133,150 | -$25,540 (-16.1%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $131,340 | -$42,420 (-24.4%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $61,820 | +$13,590 (+28.2%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $97,290 | -$8,030 (-7.6%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $63,320 | -$39,030 (-38.1%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $165,340 | $132,050 | -$33,290 (-20.1%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Ames, IA Relocation FAQs
About $79,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 99.8 in Ames, IA, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Ames, IA: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Ames, IA: 2026 federal, state and local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs compared on the same salary. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Ames, IA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $79,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 99.8 in Ames, IA, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 20.7% lower in Ames, IA than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.