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Interstate Relocation: Illinois → Iowa

Moving from Illinois to Iowa: Cost & Tax Comparison

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

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

Effective Tax Rate Change -1.7 pts IA vs IL, $100k single
Annual Tax Savings +$1,657 Federal + FICA + state, $100k
1BR Rent Change -18.4% Avg 1BR $859 vs $1,053/mo
Net Annual Difference +$3,982 Tax savings + 1BR rent savings

What changes when you move from Illinois to Iowa

Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax and Iowa has a flat 3.8% income tax. On a $100,000 salary a single filer pays $4,805 in state income tax in Illinois and $3,148 in state income tax in Iowa. With federal income tax and FICA unchanged, total tax falls by $1,657 a year after the move. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $1,053 a month across Illinois's metro areas and $859 across Iowa's (-18.4%). Pay differs too: the BLS median wage across all occupations, weighted by employment in each state's metros, is $54,104 in Illinois and $49,899 in Iowa. 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: Illinois

Illinois Paycheck & Living Costs

Paycheck Living Cost Salaries
Destination State: Iowa

Iowa Paycheck & Living Costs

Paycheck Living Cost Salaries
Reverse Corridor Analysis:
Moving from Iowa to IllinoisNational Relocation Hub

Metropolitan Corridors Between Illinois & Iowa

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN → Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA On $100k: $1,657 less tax and $7,620 less 1BR rent a year
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Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN → Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL On $100k: $1,657 less tax and $11,136 less 1BR rent a year
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Peoria, IL → Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA On $100k: $1,657 less tax and $2,208 more 1BR rent a year
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Peoria, IL → Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL On $100k: $1,657 less tax and $1,308 less 1BR rent a year
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Moving from Illinois to Iowa: Cost & Tax Comparison Overview

Moving from Illinois to Iowa on a $100,000 salary: pay $1,657 less in total taxes per year; average one-bedroom rent is $859 vs $1,053 a month (HUD FMR).

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

For a single filer earning $100,000 with no local income tax, total federal, FICA and state taxes are $1,657 lower in Iowa than in Illinois (1.7 percentage points of gross pay). The average HUD one-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Iowa's metros is $859 a month, versus $1,053 in Illinois (-18.4%). Taxes and one-bedroom rent combined change by +$3,982 a year.

What are the key tax differences between Illinois and Iowa?

Illinois: Flat Tax, top rate 4.95%. Iowa: Flat Tax, top rate 3.8%. Federal income tax and FICA are the same in both states.