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Interstate Relocation: Iowa → Illinois

Moving from Iowa to Illinois: Cost & Tax Comparison

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

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

Effective Tax Rate Change +1.7 pts IL vs IA, $100k single
Annual Tax Savings -$1,657 Federal + FICA + state, $100k
1BR Rent Change +22.5% Avg 1BR $1,053 vs $859/mo
Net Annual Difference -$3,982 Tax savings + 1BR rent savings

What changes when you move from Iowa to Illinois

Iowa has a flat 3.8% income tax and Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax. On a $100,000 salary a single filer pays $3,148 in state income tax in Iowa and $4,805 in state income tax in Illinois. With federal income tax and FICA unchanged, total tax rises by $1,657 a year after the move. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent averages $859 a month across Iowa's metro areas and $1,053 across Illinois's (+22.5%). Pay differs too: the BLS median wage across all occupations, weighted by employment in each state's metros, is $49,899 in Iowa 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: Iowa

Iowa Paycheck & Living Costs

Paycheck Living Cost Salaries
Destination State: Illinois

Illinois Paycheck & Living Costs

Paycheck Living Cost Salaries
Reverse Corridor Analysis:
Moving from Illinois to IowaNational Relocation Hub

Metropolitan Corridors Between Iowa & Illinois

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

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

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

For a single filer earning $100,000 with no local income tax, total federal, FICA and state taxes are $1,657 higher in Illinois than in Iowa (1.7 percentage points of gross pay). The average HUD one-bedroom Fair Market Rent across Illinois's metros is $1,053 a month, versus $859 in Iowa (+22.5%). Taxes and one-bedroom rent combined change by -$3,982 a year.

What are the key tax differences between Iowa and Illinois?

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