Interstate Relocation: Arkansas → Illinois

Moving from Arkansas to Illinois: Cost & Tax Comparison

Compare state income tax savings, HUD rent differentials, and household purchasing power adjustments when relocating from Arkansas to Illinois.

Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Effective Tax Rate Change +1.1 pts IL vs AR, $100k single
Annual Tax Savings -$1,118 Federal + FICA + state, $100k
1BR Rent Change +25.3% Avg 1BR $1,053 vs $841/mo
Net Annual Difference -$3,666 Tax savings + 1BR rent savings

What changes when you move from Arkansas to Illinois

Arkansas has graduated income tax rates up to 3.9% and Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax. On a $100,000 salary a single filer pays $3,687 in state income tax in Arkansas and $4,805 in state income tax in Illinois. With federal income tax and FICA unchanged, total tax rises by $1,118 a year after the move. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $841 a month across Arkansas's metro areas and $1,053 across Illinois's (+25.3%). Pay differs too: the BLS median wage across all occupations, weighted by employment in each state's metros, is $44,653 in Arkansas and $54,104 in Illinois. City and county income taxes, which some localities add, are not included in these state-level figures; the metro routes below include them.

Origin State: Arkansas

Arkansas Paycheck & Living Costs

Destination State: Illinois

Illinois Paycheck & Living Costs

Metropolitan Corridors Between Arkansas & Illinois

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR → Peoria, IL On $100k: $1,118 more tax and $96 less 1BR rent a year
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Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR → Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN On $100k: $1,118 more tax and $8,688 more 1BR rent a year
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Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR → Peoria, IL On $100k: $1,118 more tax and $1,140 less 1BR rent a year
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Moving from Arkansas to Illinois: Cost & Tax Comparison Overview

Moving from Arkansas to Illinois on a $100,000 salary: pay $1,118 more in total taxes per year; average one-bedroom rent is $1,053 vs $841 a month (HUD FMR).

Quick answers
How much money will I save moving from Arkansas to Illinois?

For a single filer earning $100,000 with no local income tax, total federal, FICA and state taxes are $1,118 higher in Illinois than in Arkansas (1.1 percentage points of gross pay). The average HUD one-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Illinois's metros is $1,053 a month, versus $841 in Arkansas (+25.3%). Taxes and one-bedroom rent combined change by -$3,666 a year.

What are the key tax differences between Arkansas and Illinois?

Arkansas: Graduated Brackets, top rate 3.9%. Illinois: Flat Tax, top rate 4.95%. Federal income tax and FICA are the same in both states.