Relocation: Chicago Metro, IL-IN to Amherst Town Metro, MA
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 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA.
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
Amherst Town-Northampton, MA
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Amherst Town-Northampton (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $1,593 | -$187 | -10.5% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $431 | +$46 | +11.9% |
| Transportation | $947 | $1,106 | +$159 | +16.8% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $429 | +$13 | +3.1% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $510 | -$62 | -10.8% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $2,133 | -$2 | -0.1% |
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 | Amherst Town-Northampton Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $98,200 | -$11,190 (-10.2%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $101,270 | +$780 (+0.8%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $144,950 | -$23,860 (-14.1%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $84,390 | +$2,030 (+2.5%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,380 | $126,670 | -$7,710 (-5.7%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,090 | $103,610 | -$1,480 (-1.4%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $138,100 | -$20,590 (-13.0%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $156,040 | -$17,720 (-10.2%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $51,890 | +$3,660 (+7.6%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $85,320 | -$20,000 (-19.0%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $76,980 | -$25,370 (-24.8%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $165,340 | $161,020 | -$4,320 (-2.6%) | 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 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA Relocation FAQs
About $96,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 121.2 in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Amherst Town-Northampton, MA: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Amherst Town-Northampton, MA: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Chicago Metro, IL-IN to Amherst Town Metro, MA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $96,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 121.2 in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 3.7% lower in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.