Residential comparison · 13 facts
Chicago, IL vs New York, NY
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Chicago needs about $124,000 in New York to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from New York, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $47,500 in Chicago.
A few differences
- New York is lower on property tax rate (0.9% vs 2.1%).
- New York is lower on sales tax (8.88% vs 10.25%).
- Chicago is lower on groceries index (102 vs 116).
Chicago vs New York · facet by facet
| Facet | Chicago, IL | New York, NY |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $360,000 | $785,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,200/mo | $4,300/mo |
| Property tax rate | 2.1% | 0.9% |
| State & local income tax | 4.95% | 7.67% |
| Sales tax | 10.25% | 8.88% |
| Cost of living index | 106 | 168 |
| Groceries index | 102 | 116 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $195/mo |
| Median household income | $71,000 | $76,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5% |
| Crime index | 55/100 | 47/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 189 days | 224 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Chicago, IL · New York, NY
Questions & answers
- Is Chicago cheaper than New York?
- Chicago has the lower day-to-day cost index (106 vs 168 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in New York equals $85,000 in Chicago?
- A household earning $85,000 in Chicago needs about $124,000 in New York to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of New York lifestyle costs about $47,500 in Chicago.