Relocation: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Charleston, WV
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 Charleston, WV.
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
Charleston, WV
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Charleston (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $844 | -$936 | -52.6% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $332 | -$53 | -13.8% |
| Transportation | $947 | $985 | +$38 | +4.0% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $778 | +$362 | +87.0% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $328 | -$244 | -42.7% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $2,072 | -$63 | -3.0% |
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 | Charleston Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $83,190 | -$26,200 (-24.0%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $80,230 | -$20,260 (-20.2%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $66,560 | -$15,800 (-19.2%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $116,300 | -$52,510 (-31.1%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,380 | $122,980 | -$11,400 (-8.5%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,090 | $94,210 | -$10,880 (-10.4%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $91,920 | -$66,770 (-42.1%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $101,560 | -$72,200 (-41.6%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $49,810 | +$1,580 (+3.3%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $89,600 | -$15,720 (-14.9%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $64,830 | -$37,520 (-36.7%) | View Dossier |
| Financial AnalystFinance | Finance | $101,750 | $66,230 | -$35,520 (-34.9%) | 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 Charleston, WV Relocation FAQs
About $81,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 101.9 in Charleston, WV, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Charleston, WV: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Charleston, WV: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on the same. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Charleston, WV compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $81,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 101.9 in Charleston, WV, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 19.0% lower in Charleston, WV than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.