Head-to-head
Illinois vs Indiana
Illinois's 2024 price level is 6.629 points above Indiana's (99.958 vs 93.329), and the sharpest single difference is property tax: Illinois owners pay a median $5,298 a year, Indiana owners $1,614.
Updated
| Measure | Illinois | Indiana | First − second |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-items price level | 99.958 | 93.329 | +6.629 points |
| Rent price level | 93.944 | 73.926 | +20.018 points |
| Home value | $263,300±$797 | $218,200±$739 | +$45,100 |
| Two-bedroom gross rent | $1,284±$8 | $1,076±$7 | +$208 |
| Household income | $83,390±$362 | $71,957±$352 | +$11,433 |
| Real estate taxes paid | $5,298±$22 | $1,614±$9 | +$3,684 |
$4,000 of monthly spending in Illinois scales to $3,735 in Indiana at the 2024 all-items price ratio.
BEA 2024 and ACS 2020–2024; ± marks the Census 90% margin. How to read a gap
Illinois vs Indiana: one labor market, two property-tax worlds
Across this border, ownership is where the money is. The median real estate tax paid differs by $3,684 a year, while the median home value differs by only $45,100 ($263,300 against $218,200). Mortgaged owners spend $583 a month more in Illinois, and even owners without a mortgage pay $275 more. A buyer still needs the specific parcel's assessment and bill: a statewide median is a historical dollar contrast, not a way to carry one property's exemption across the line.
Prices differ beyond housing. Illinois goods are 8.323 points dearer (103.832 against 95.509), and its rent parity is 20.018 points higher. Utilities are effectively level, 84.952 against 85.545. The two-bedroom gross-rent median is $1,284 against $1,076, but renters in both states spend the same 29.1% of income on gross rent.
Illinois incomes lead on both measures, by $11,433 at the household median and $4,771 per person after prices.
The income taxes differ in form. Indiana's state rate is 2.95% for 2026, and counties add their own income tax, so the total depends on where a household lives and works. Illinois's individual income tax supplied 35.6% of fiscal 2025 state collections, $1,998 per resident, and Indiana's 31.7%, $1,246. Total collections were $5,606 per resident in Illinois and $3,932 in Indiana.
The gap has narrowed since 2020, when Illinois stood at 100.315 and Indiana at 91.763. Keep residence, work location and lease terms on record for tax preparation.
Price levels by category
| Measure | Illinois | Indiana | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 99.958 | 93.329 | +6.629 |
| Goods | 103.832 | 95.509 | +8.323 |
| Housing (rents) | 93.944 | 73.926 | +20.018 |
| Utilities | 84.952 | 85.545 | −0.593 |
| Other services | 100.156 | 99.145 | +1.011 |
| Real income per person (2017 $) | $60,333 | $55,562 | +$4,771 |
Two state tax mixes, FY2025
Illinois: $71.31 billion, $5,606 per resident. Indiana: $27.42 billion, $3,932 per resident.
| Tax | IL share | IN share | IL per resident | IN per resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual income | 35.6% | 31.7% | $1,998 | $1,246 |
| General sales | 22.9% | 40.9% | $1,282 | $1,609 |
| Property | 0.1% | 0.1% | $5 | $2 |
| Motor fuel | 4.1% | 6.5% | $229 | $256 |
| Other selective sales | 13.4% | 13.1% | $751 | $517 |
| Corporate income | 17.4% | 3.3% | $976 | $128 |
| Licenses | 5.5% | 4.4% | $310 | $173 |
| Severance | 0.0% | 0.0% | $0 | $0 |
| Other taxes | 1.0% | 0.0% | $55 | $0 |
Taxes on wages and purchases
| Tax | Illinois | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | flat 4.95% since July 1, 2017 | 2.95% for 2026 plus a county income tax |
| State sales tax | Not summarised on this site; see the Illinois Department of Revenue | 7% |
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