Compare taxes and see how much you save moving from California to Illinois
Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax, while California charges progressive rates from 1% to 13.3%. Moving from CA to IL saves $8,350/year on $100k income (IL's flat rate vs CA's ~9.3% effective). However, Illinois has much higher property taxes (2.08% vs CA 0.73%). Overall, Illinois offers tax savings for high earners, while California is competitive for expensive homeowners. Migration is relatively balanced.
Progressive
9 brackets, up to 13.3%
Flat Rate
Flat 4.95% on all income
At $100,000 income:
That is $696/month back in your pocket!
| Income | CA Tax | IL Tax | Savings | 10-Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $1,250 | $2,475 | -$1,225 | -$12,250 |
| $100,000 | $9,300 | $4,950 | $4,350 | $43,500 |
| $200,000 | $17,800 | $9,900 | $7,900 | $79,000 |
| $500,000 | $47,650 | $24,750 | $22,900 | $229,000 |
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Moving from California to Illinois? Multi-state returns are tricky—partial-year residency, different deadlines, avoiding double taxation. Get matched with a CPA who specializes in state moves. Virtual meetings, fixed pricing.
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Get Matched With a CPA →It depends on income level. At $100,000 income, Illinois saves $4,350/year (CA ~9.3% effective vs IL 4.95%). At $500,000 income: IL saves $22,900/year. However, low earners (<$70k) pay more in IL due to flat rate. Property taxes favor CA dramatically—on a $1M home, CA pays $7,300/year vs IL $20,800/year (difference of $13,500/year).
Illinois has 2nd highest property tax in US (2.08%) because it relies on property taxes to fund schools, municipalities, and massive public pension obligations. Chicago/Cook County rates are 2.0-2.5%. Illinois has one of worst-funded pension systems in US, driving up property taxes. California's Prop 13 caps property tax at 1% of purchase price + 2%/year increases.
California wins for tech workers: Silicon Valley/SF offer highest salaries in world ($250k-$500k+ total comp for senior engineers), best career growth, stock options worth millions. However, Chicago has growing tech scene with much lower cost of living (40% cheaper) and lower income tax (4.95% vs CA 9.3-13.3%). Choose CA for career max, IL for cost savings.
California strongly favors homeowners due to Prop 13. On a $1M home: CA pays $7,300/year property tax (capped), IL pays $20,800/year (difference of $13,500/year). This can fully offset IL's income tax advantage for expensive homeowners. However, CA home prices are 68% higher, so total housing costs still favor IL.