Median rent is 4% lower in Chicago ($1,440/mo vs $1,494/mo). Buying is cheaper in Coon Rapids, where the median home runs $305,800 versus $334,100. Households earn more in Coon Rapids ($88,251 vs $77,902 a year).
City A
Chicago, IL
City B
Coon Rapids, MN
How much would you need to earn in Coon Rapids, MN to maintain your standard of living from Chicago, IL?
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 metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Chicago
Illinois
Coon Rapids
Minnesota
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: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $1,440/mo in Chicago and $1,494/mo in Coon Rapids. Median home values are within 8% of each other: $334,100 in Chicago and $305,800 in Coon Rapids.
Metric
Chicago
Coon Rapids
Software Developer
Registered Nurse
Elementary Teacher
Electrician
Accountant
Higher wage highlighted · BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Chicago
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Coon Rapids
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Chicago (avg AQI 31.0) but not yet for Coon Rapids.
Pick Coon Rapids if you prioritize higher median household income ($88,251/yr).
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Median rent is $1,440/mo in Chicago, IL and $1,494/mo in Coon Rapids, MN. Chicago, IL has the lower rent by about 4%.
Median household income is $77,902 in Chicago, IL and $88,251 in Coon Rapids, MN. Coon Rapids, MN has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
