Relocation: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Waco, TX
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 Waco, TX.
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
Waco, TX
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Waco (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,780 | $1,029 | -$751 | -42.2% |
| Food & Groceries | $385 | $301 | -$84 | -21.8% |
| Transportation | $947 | $1,047 | +$100 | +10.6% |
| Healthcare | $416 | $425 | +$9 | +2.2% |
| Other Necessities | $572 | $387 | -$185 | -32.3% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,135 | $1,735 | -$400 | -18.7% |
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 | Waco Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,390 | $92,990 | -$16,400 (-15.0%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,490 | $92,890 | -$7,600 (-7.6%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $82,360 | $76,140 | -$6,220 (-7.6%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $168,810 | $134,010 | -$34,800 (-20.6%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,380 | $123,080 | -$11,300 (-8.4%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,090 | $88,100 | -$16,990 (-16.2%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $158,690 | $117,820 | -$40,870 (-25.8%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $173,760 | $141,810 | -$31,950 (-18.4%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $48,230 | $46,900 | -$1,330 (-2.8%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $105,320 | $78,580 | -$26,740 (-25.4%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $102,350 | $48,880 | -$53,470 (-52.2%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $165,340 | $126,880 | -$38,460 (-23.3%) | 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 Waco, TX Relocation FAQs
About $76,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 95.7 in Waco, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Waco, TX: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN to Waco, TX: 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 Waco, TX compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $76,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 95.7 in Waco, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 24.0% lower in Waco, TX than in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.