$100k salary, packing up from Springfield
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
the monthly premium over Springfield
A real premium for Chicago. Worth it only if the city itself is the whole point.
a quick ledger.
$2,170/mo
74% more expensive than Springfield(vs $1,249/mo)
4.95%
$21/mo more in state tax than Springfield
vs 4.7% in Springfield
$5,751/mo
$942 less than Springfield
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$365k
36% more expensive than Springfield
vs $268k in Springfield
9.3M
vs 491k in Springfield
field notes, weather & such.
153
pleasant days a year, in chicago.
Springfield has the edge here, logging 170 pleasant days a year. Winter shows up, though: 38 days below 20° vs Springfield's 20.
A month here packs 80.9× the events of Springfield.
70/100
40% higher than Springfield
vs 50/100 in Springfield
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 27.2 mi.
100/100
12% higher than Springfield
vs 89/100 in Springfield
217
2311% more than Springfield
vs 9 nonstops in Springfield
neighbors of chicago on the map of tradeoffs:
compare chicago with:
