USA Cost of Living Compare US cities and states with official data

Cost of living in Illinois

Statewide averages from BEA, with every metro area in the state compared.

Overall prices vs US average 100.0 About the same as the US officialBEA, 2024. US = 100
Rank among 51 states and DC 19th 1st = most expensive derivedFrom BEA, 2024
Housing (rents) vs US average 93.9 21st highest housing costs officialBEA, 2024. US = 100
Income per person, adjusted for prices $60,333 17th of 51, in 2017 dollars officialBEA real personal income, 2024

What the numbers say

  • Overall prices in Illinois are within 1% of the national average (index 100.0; BEA 2024), 19th of 51 states and DC.
  • Within Illinois, metro price levels run from 86.1 in Cape Girardeau, MO to 103.6 in Chicago, IL (US = 100).
  • Utilities stand out in Illinois: household electricity, gas, water and sewer prices are 15.0% below the US average.
  • After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $60,333 in 2017 dollars, 17th of 51 (BEA 2024).
  • No single category stands out in Illinois: housing is 6.1% below average, goods 3.8% above average and other services about average.
  • Relative to the US, the price level in Illinois has barely moved: 100.3 in 2008, 99.5 in 2019 and 100.0 in 2024.

Written from this page's own figures. Price levels are for an average household basket and do not include taxes. How we calculate.

Where the money goes

Statewide price levels by category. Cities and rural areas within the state can differ a lot; see the metro table below.

In Illinois, utilities is the category furthest from the US average: 15.0% below

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

All items
100.0
Goods
103.8
Housing (rents)
93.9
Utilities
85.0
Other services
100.2

Bars to the right of the line cost more than the US average; to the left, less.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Illinois
All items100.0
Goods103.8
Housing (rents)93.9
Utilities85.0
Other services100.2

Gas prices

Regular gasoline averaged $4.14 a gallon in the Midwest region in the week of October 19, 2026, $0.14 less than the US average of $4.28. EIA does not publish a separate weekly figure for Illinois, so this is the regional average. official

Work out your commute's gas cost

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, weekly retail gasoline prices, regular grade, including taxes.

Cheapest places to live in Illinois

By overall prices, the cheapest of the 12 metro areas BEA measures in Illinois are Cape Girardeau, MO (86.1), Paducah, KY (86.1) and Decatur, IL (88.4); the most expensive is Chicago, IL (103.6). US average = 100, BEA 2024. Rural areas are not listed separately.

Cape Girardeau, MO is the cheapest metro area in Illinois (86.1); Chicago, IL the most expensive (103.6)

Overall price level, 2024. US average = 100.

Cape Girardeau, MO Spans MO, IL
86.1
Paducah, KY Spans KY, IL
86.1
Decatur, IL
88.4
Davenport, IA Spans IA, IL
89.1
Peoria, IL
91.2
Rockford, IL
92.2
Champaign, IL
92.7
Springfield, IL
92.7
Bloomington, IL
93.5
St. Louis, MO Spans MO, IL
95.1
Kankakee, IL
96.4
Chicago, IL Spans IL, IN
103.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
All items
Cape Girardeau, MO86.1
Paducah, KY86.1
Decatur, IL88.4
Davenport, IA89.1
Peoria, IL91.2
Rockford, IL92.2
Champaign, IL92.7
Springfield, IL92.7
Bloomington, IL93.5
St. Louis, MO95.1
Kankakee, IL96.4
Chicago, IL103.6
Metro area Overall Housing Goods Utilities Other services Typical rent
Cape Girardeau, MO 86.1 56.4 94.2 85.6 93.1 $1,013
Paducah, KY 86.1 48.8 96.0 76.9 96.9 $1,151
Decatur, IL 88.4 56.2 93.6 91.1 99.6 $1,059
Davenport, IA 89.1 68.3 94.2 89.9 93.5 $1,003
Peoria, IL 91.2 63.8 93.6 90.5 99.6 $1,157
Rockford, IL 92.2 70.1 93.6 89.4 99.6 $1,299
Champaign, IL 92.7 71.6 93.6 90.5 99.6 $1,384
Springfield, IL 92.7 71.6 93.6 90.4 99.6 $1,207
Bloomington, IL 93.5 74.7 93.6 89.6 99.6 $1,292
St. Louis, MO 95.1 79.0 100.0 69.9 98.6 $1,427
Kankakee, IL 96.4 92.9 93.6 89.4 99.6 $1,327
Chicago, IL 103.6 112.0 107.3 83.6 100.5 $2,163

Price levels: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.

How prices have changed since 2008

Price levels relative to the whole country in each year, not inflation.

Illinois has stayed close to the US average since 2008

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Illinois
2008100.3
2009101.6
2010101.8
2011102.0
2012100.9
2013100.2
201499.7
201598.9
201699.5
2017100.3
2018100.4
201999.5
2020100.3
2021101.3
2022101.2
202398.8
2024100.0

Goods: 99.4 in 2008, 103.8 in 2024

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Illinois
200899.4
2009101.7
2010102.2
2011102.6
2012101.1
201399.9
2014100.5
201598.6
201698.2
2017100.1
2018101.5
2019102.8
2020101.3
2021103.7
2022102.7
2023101.6
2024103.8

Housing (rents): 103.0 in 2008, 93.9 in 2024

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Illinois
2008103.0
2009103.9
2010105.0
2011104.2
2012102.3
2013103.0
2014102.8
2015103.3
2016101.4
201799.9
201899.2
201997.7
202097.6
202196.2
202294.1
202392.4
202493.9

Utilities: 94.2 in 2008, 85.0 in 2024

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Illinois
200894.2
200989.9
201090.8
201190.1
201287.0
201381.3
201488.4
201589.4
201689.7
201791.4
201891.8
201983.9
202084.7
202186.1
202288.2
202380.4
202485.0

Other services: 100.5 in 2008, 100.2 in 2024

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Illinois
2008100.5
2009101.6
2010101.3
2011101.6
2012101.3
2013100.7
201499.0
201598.4
2016100.2
2017100.9
2018100.6
201998.9
2020101.4
2021102.1
2022103.0
202399.8
2024100.2

What incomes buy here

BEA divides personal income by local prices, so a dollar in a cheap state counts for more. This is income per resident (wages, benefits, investment income), not household or take-home pay.

After adjusting for prices, income per person in Illinois is $60,333, 17th of 51

Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for local price levels and inflation).

  • Illinois
  • United States

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.

Show the numbers
IllinoisUnited States
2008$48,377$45,816
2009$45,534$44,204
2010$45,770$44,808
2011$46,640$45,957
2012$48,199$46,796
2013$48,770$46,358
2014$50,191$47,661
2015$52,761$49,396
2016$52,619$49,828
2017$53,045$51,006
2018$54,837$52,242
2019$56,192$53,683
2020$58,809$56,514
2021$60,683$59,365
2022$57,980$57,104
2023$60,348$58,088
2024$60,333$59,195

Compare Illinois with other states

States with similar prices

All states ranked · States ranked by what income buys

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Sources and limits

  • Price levels and real income: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state, 2008–2024. Last updated February 19, 2026: new statistics for 2024; revised statistics for 2008-2023. Downloaded 2026-10-21.
  • Metro price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities by metro area. Typical rent: Data Provided by Zillow Group.
  • State figures average cities and rural areas. Taxes are not included. BEA figures lag by about 18 months.

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