on $100k a year, leaving Dayton
changea dispatch from
chicago
IL
41.88°N
87.63°W
Chicago is deep-dish for tourists, thin-crust tavern style for locals, and a hot dog that absolutely will not have ketchup on it. The L rumbles overhead, the lakefront stretches for 18 unbroken miles of beach and trail, and the architecture boat tour is the single best $50 you'll spend. Summer in Chicago might be the best summer in America. The improv comedy gene pool is unmatched.
in our guides
the verdict
pricier each month than Dayton
Chicago doesn't pretend to be affordable. Move here for what Chicago is, not for what it leaves on your monthly ledger.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
64% more expensive than Dayton(vs $1,321/mo)
4.95%
$80/mo more in state tax than Dayton
vs 3.99% in Dayton
$5,751/mo
$929 less than Dayton
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
163% more expensive than Dayton
vs $139k in Dayton
9.3M
vs 808k in Dayton
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
Dayton edges ahead with 171 pleasant days.
Nights and weekends fill up faster. 92.5× more on the calendar than Dayton.
70/100
13% higher than Dayton
vs 62/100 in Dayton
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
12% higher than Dayton
vs 89/100 in Dayton
217
1256% more than Dayton
vs 16 nonstops in Dayton
neighbors of chicago on the map of tradeoffs:
compare chicago with:
