Median rent is 11% lower in Chicago ($1,440/mo vs $1,609/mo). Buying is cheaper in Chicago, where the median home runs $334,100 versus $469,200. Households earn more in Bloomington ($81,640 vs $77,902 a year).
City A
Bloomington, CA
City B
Chicago, IL
How much would you need to earn in Chicago, IL to maintain your standard of living from Bloomington, CA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each city's metro area. A rough estimate of overall purchasing power, not tax or take-home pay.
Metric
Bloomington
California
Chicago
Illinois
👥Population
💰Median Household Income
Annual
🏠Median Gross Rent
Per month
🏡Median Home Value
📊Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
🔑1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🔑2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🔑3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🌬️Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
🏛️Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
🧾State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
🎂Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Chicago at $1,440/mo compared to $1,609/mo in Bloomington (11% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Bloomington: the median home is $469,200 versus $334,100 in Chicago — 29% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Bloomington
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Chicago
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Chicago (avg AQI 31.0) but not yet for Bloomington.
Pick Chicago if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,440/mo median).
Is Bloomington cheaper than Chicago?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Bloomington vs Chicago?
Median rent is $1,609/mo in Bloomington, CA and $1,440/mo in Chicago, IL. Chicago, IL has the lower rent by about 11%.
Which has higher salaries — Bloomington or Chicago?
Median household income is $81,640 in Bloomington, CA and $77,902 in Chicago, IL. Bloomington, CA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — Bloomington or Chicago?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Chicago to match my Bloomington income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
