Interstate Relocation: Illinois → Washington

Moving from Illinois to Washington: Cost & Tax Comparison

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

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

Effective Tax Rate Change -4.8 pts WA vs IL, $100k single
Annual Tax Savings +$4,805 Federal + FICA + state, $100k
1BR Rent Change +28.4% Avg 1BR $1,352 vs $1,053/mo
Net Annual Difference +$1,214 Tax savings + 1BR rent savings

What changes when you move from Illinois to Washington

Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax and Washington has no state income tax on wages. On a $100,000 salary a single filer pays $4,805 in state income tax in Illinois and $0 in state income tax in Washington. With federal income tax and FICA unchanged, total tax falls by $4,805 a year after the move. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $1,053 a month across Illinois's metro areas and $1,352 across Washington's (+28.4%). Pay differs too: the BLS median wage across all occupations, weighted by employment in each state's metros, is $54,104 in Illinois and $67,499 in Washington. 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

Destination State: Washington

Washington Paycheck & Living Costs

Metropolitan Corridors Between Illinois & Washington

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN → Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $4,800 more 1BR rent a year
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Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN → Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $7,284 less 1BR rent a year
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Peoria, IL → Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $14,628 more 1BR rent a year
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Peoria, IL → Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,544 more 1BR rent a year
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Moving from Illinois to Washington: Cost & Tax Comparison Overview

Moving from Illinois to Washington on a $100,000 salary: pay $4,805 less in total taxes per year; average one-bedroom rent is $1,352 vs $1,053 a month (HUD.

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

For a single filer earning $100,000 with no local income tax, total federal, FICA and state taxes are $4,805 lower in Washington than in Illinois (4.8 percentage points of gross pay). The average HUD one-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Washington's metros is $1,352 a month, versus $1,053 in Illinois (+28.4%). Taxes and one-bedroom rent combined change by +$1,214 a year.

What are the key tax differences between Illinois and Washington?

Illinois: Flat Tax, top rate 4.95%. Washington: No State Income Tax, top rate 0%. Federal income tax and FICA are the same in both states.