City Profile

Chicago, Illinois

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Overall Score

Chicago, founded in 1833 and located along the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan, is the third-most populous city in the United States and a major global hub for finance, culture, and commerce. Known for its iconic architectural skyline, world-class museums, and deep-rooted jazz and blues heritage, the city offers a vibrant urban lifestyle with distinct neighborhood characters. People move to Chicago for its robust job market, rich cultural institutions, and relatively accessible cost of living compared to coastal metropolises.

About Illinois

Illinois, known as the "Prairie State," offers a diverse character ranging from the bustling metropolis of Chicago to expansive farmlands. Its economy is among the largest and most diversified in the U.S., with major industries including advanced manufacturing, agriculture and food processing, life sciences, technology, and transportation and logistics. While the cost of living statewide is generally considered moderate, housing costs in Chicago can be higher than the national average. Illinois experiences all four seasons, with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters, and is susceptible to severe storms and tornadoes, particularly in spring. Residents enjoy a lifestyle that balances world-class cultural amenities and career opportunities with challenges such as high taxes and urban congestion.

2,665,000

Population

$78K

Avg Salary

118

Cost Index

50.0

Quality Score

How this 50/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 55 / 100	55.0	30%	16.5
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 118.0	21.3	25%	5.3
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $76,223 Income needed to live here: $60,000 Unemployment rate: 4.8%	61.9	20%	12.4
Growth	Population growth rate: no usable reading Job growth rate: 1.8%	56.0	15%	8.4
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 74 / 100	74.0	10%	7.4
Overall score				50.0

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Gemini (ungrounded) (q=54, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 16 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

Chicago's cost of living sits moderately above the national average, primarily driven by housing and local taxes, yet it remains notably more affordable than major coastal cities like New York or San Francisco. While dining, entertainment, and groceries align closely with national benchmarks, property and sales taxes can elevate everyday expenses for residents. Overall, the city delivers strong value by pairing big-city amenities with manageable household overhead.

Average Rent

$2,050/mo

Groceries

$450/mo

Transport

$130/mo

Utilities

$175/mo

Healthcare

$260/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$60.00

Cinema ticket

$15.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$25.00

Monthly groceries

$450.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$160.00

Income

Salary Insights

As a powerhouse of the American Midwest, Chicago boasts a highly diversified economy spanning finance, logistics, manufacturing, healthcare, and technology. Major employers ranging from United Airlines and Boeing to healthcare systems like Northwestern Medicine anchor a resilient labor market with competitive salaries. The remote and hybrid work landscape remains strong here, supported by an expanding network of coworking spaces and startup incubators.

The average salary in Chicago is $78,000 per year. You would need approximately $60,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Manufacturing +1.10% Healthcare +2.80% Financial Services +2.20% Professional & Business Services +2.00% Transportation & Logistics +1.90%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

51°F

Avg Temp

☀️

81°F

Summer High

❄️

19°F

Winter Low

🌧️

32.80"

Annual Rain

💧

68.00%

Humidity

🌤️

260

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Chicago is exceptionally transit-friendly, anchored by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) rail 'L' system and an extensive bus network that connects neighborhoods efficiently without requiring a car. The city earns high marks for walkability and bikeability, particularly in central and north-side neighborhoods, though expressways like the Kennedy and Dan Ryan experience heavy commuter congestion. Major airports like O'Hare and Midway provide unparalleled global connectivity.

32 min

Avg Commute

75.00/10

Transit Score

78.00/10

Walkability

Medium

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

Extensive and reliable public transit network via the CTA 'L' trains and buses covering the entire city

World-class cultural attractions, including the Art Institute of Chicago and world-renowned dining options

18 miles of continuous public lakefront trail and numerous sandy beaches along Lake Michigan

Significantly more affordable housing compared to coastal tech hubs like New York and San Francisco

Diverse and resilient economy anchored by multiple Fortune 500 headquarters and major financial institutions

Drawbacks

Severe winter weather with freezing temperatures and significant snowfall averaging 28.5 inches annually

High property and sales taxes that contribute to a higher overall cost of living burden

Persistent violent crime challenges concentrated in specific neighborhoods on the south and west sides

Heavy traffic congestion on major expressways during peak morning and evening commuting hours

State pension obligations and local fiscal deficits that put pressure on municipal services and taxation

Head to Head

Compare Chicago

Chicago VS Cincinnati Chicago VS Bloomington Chicago VS Binghamton Chicago VS Akron

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Nearby Cities

Cicero

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Community Q&A

Questions about Chicago

What people ask about living in and moving to Chicago, Illinois.

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Gathering the most common questions about Chicago…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.