Living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois: Compare States

Are you thinking about moving from Massachusetts to Illinois or vice versa? In the following article, Best Cross Country Movers will try to compare living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois to help you decide where you want to live. We will consider all the most relevant elements like living costs, housing costs, safety, employment opportunities, and other factors that most people find important. We will take a look at both states as well as particular cities. Crossing more than 1000 miles is not easy. So make sure that you take everything into consideration before deciding to move.

There are many reasons why people decide to move across the country

There are many reasons why people decide to move. However, when it comes to moving across the country, people look for the strongest reasons. And those are usually financial, educational, environmental, and family matters. Still, among all of them, financial reasons are usually the most important these days. People move because of the cost of living, housing costs, and employment opportunities mostly. But they also move to be closer to family and friends and because of a desire to live in a nicer environment. Kids can also be a common reason to move usually because of safety or educational opportunities. And those are the things that will compare in this article.

Comparing Living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois we see that Illinois is a much cheaper place to live

There are more than 1000 miles between Massachusetts and Illinois. Therefore, the moving process itself can be pretty difficult to organize. Not to mention the cost of hiring the best cross country movers Illinois can offer. That is why it is crucial to make good calculations and ensure that you can handle this financially. So let’s compare living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois from a financial standpoint. The relevant data tells us that living in Illinois is more than 17% cheaper than living in Massachusetts. That is quite of a difference. Let’s now take a look at it closer.

Unfortunately, food costs are becoming one of the most important factors these days and when we compare living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois, we see that eating in restaurants in Illinois, for example, is more than 13% cheaper than eating in Massachusetts’ restaurants. If you are more used to prepping your own food at home, you will go even cheaper in Illinois because groceries are cheaper here for nearly 25%.

Childcare is also more affordable in Illinois

If you have kids, you are probably also interested in childcare costs. And as you can probably guess, Illinois is much more affordable in this regard as well. Overall, childcare in Illinois is cheaper by more than 45%. Specifically, around 35% cheaper for preschool kids and around 55% for middle school kids. When you have kids, entertainment can also be a big item in your monthly budget. And when it comes to living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois, entertainment and sports in Illinois are much more affordable as well. Precisely 16.5% cheaper. For example, tickets for a theater or cinema are 13% cheaper. A monthly membership at the gym will cost you 17% less in Illinois. Domestic beer at the pub cost 23% less and if you are more of a coffee person, a cappuccino in a mid-range area will cost you around 11% less in Illinois.

You will pay more for clothing in Massachusetts if you are a businessman

One place where the difference between the two states is not so visible is clothing. Clothing in Massachusetts is only around 2% more expensive than in Illinois. And that is only when we look at the general stats. When we look at it more closely we see that some clothing items are cheaper in Illinois while other are cheaper in Massachusetts. For example, regular jeans are 6% cheaper in Massachusetts. Running shoes are less than 1% cheaper as well.  On the other hand, regular dresses are 10% cheaper in Illinois. Men’s business shoes more than 7%. So it all depends on your style. If you are a businessman you will do better in Illinois. If you are more into sports clothes, Massachusetts is the state for you.

When it comes to education there aren’t many states that can compare to Massachusetts

When it comes to educational opportunities Massachusetts offers more.  It is one of the best US states for education with some of the best-ranked public schools in the country. And when it comes to overall education among its population, it ranked as the second-best. Illinois is also not that far. But if you are looking for the best education for your kids, Massachusetts is the better option. Here are some of the best schools in both states.

Best schools in Massachusetts

• Boston Latin School, Boston
• Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School, Marlborough
• Sturgis Charter Public School, Hyannis
• Lexington High School, Lexington
• Boston Latin Academy, Boston

Best schools in Illinois

• Payton College Preparatory High School, Chicago
• Northside College Preparatory High School, Chicago
• Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Aurora
• Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire
• Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, Chicago

Safety is also one of the most important things to pay attention to when you are trying to compare living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois

We all want the best safety for our kids. And as far as safety is concerned, Massachusetts stands much better. Actually, it is the 7^th safest state in the country.  It ranks number one as far as financial safety is concerned as well as second when it comes to road safety. On the other hand, Illinois is ranked 30^th when it comes to overall safety.  It is particularly badly ranked when it comes to financial safety as it is ranked at 44^th place among all US states. When it comes to road safety it ranked as the 6^th safest state in the country.  As far as crime rates go, Massachusetts stands much better than Illinois.

For example, Illinois has one of the highest homicide rates in the country. It is ranked number nine in this regard. On the other hand, Massachusetts doesn’t have such issues and it is marked as the 11^th safest state when it comes to homicide rates. Things look similar when we look at firearm death rates as well. So, it is safe to say that Massachusetts is a much safer place to live right now than the state of Illinois. And it would be a much better choice if you have kids.

It is hard to say which state is more affordable when it comes to transportation

Transportation is another area where Massachusetts is better. However, it can be hard to compare living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois when it comes to transport because of a big difference in monthly public transportation passes. If you are driving your own car to work, for example, you would do much better in Illinois. Because gas is 6% cheaper in Illinois while monthly public transit passes can cost you 45% more than in Massachusetts. So it all depends on whether you are using your own vehicle or public transport. Gas prices also tell us that hiring movers in Illinois would be cheaper than hiring the best cross country movers Massachusetts has to offer. But that also depends on your moving company’s policies as well as other important factors.

Housing costs are much lower in Illinois

Another very important factor that can drive people to move long distances is housing costs. And this is where Illinois can offer much much more. For example, the median home price in Massachusetts in 2022 is around $515,000. It is a 12.6% increase compared to prices in  2020. On the other hand, median home prices in Illinois are somewhere in the range of  $296,700 – almost 3 times lower. Of course, it all depends on particular cities. A house in Boston will cost you much more than a similar property in Lowell, MA for example. Therefore, we will later also take a look at some of the most popular cities and see what are the real estate prices there. When it comes to renting, Massachusetts has the sixth-highest average rent in the country, with an average rent of $1,336 per month.

In Illinois, things are much more affordable. The average rent here is around $1,010. Of course, when you pay your rent, you also have to pay for utilities, phone, and internet connection. And that is also something that is more affordable in Illinois. For instance, an internet connection of 50 Mbps or faster, costs around 12% more in Massachusetts. Utilities for a 700 sq ft apartment that include electricity, gas, water, and heating are around 235 cheaper in Illinois. So, there is no doubt at all that living in Illinois is much more affordable than living in Massachusetts. However, Massachusetts offers much higher safety and better educational opportunities.

Let’s compare living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois by looking at particular cities

As we already mentioned, general data can make confusion. And some states can appear much more expensive than they really are. For example, prices in Boston are several times higher than those in Lowell for example. So it all depends on the city you live in and where you plan to move to. Therefore, in the following part of the article, we will take a look at particular cities and what they have to offer.

Boston, MA

Let’s start with Boston, the capital of Massachusetts and one of the best places for education and young professionals in the country. Of course, this is one of the most expensive cities in the state with some of the highest median home prices in this part of the country. The city has a population of 689,326 and it is located in Suffolk County. And offers its residents a dense urban feel with a lot of parks, restaurants, bars, as well as great schools, museums, as well as some of the best sports teams in the country.

Unfortunately, one thing that is preventing more people from hiring best cross country movers Boston and moving here is home prices. The median home price in Boston in May 2022 was a staggering  $819,000.  And when it comes to renting, things aren’t any brighter as well. The median rent in Boston in February 2022 was around  $3,634.

Cambridge, MA

Officially the best city for young professionals in the country is Cambridge. The city really has a lot to offer when it comes to employment as well as educational opportunities. The city has a population of 117,822 and it is located in Middlesex County. Besides a good job market and good schools, Cambridge also offers low crime rates, a friendly community, and a lot of entertainment. Sadly, hiring best cross country movers Cambridge and buying a property here is not going to be cheap. The median home prices in Cambridge in 2022 reached an incredible  $1.2M, which is a 30.6% increase compared to last year. Of course, if you are looking for luxury and are not too much concerned about the prices, this is probably one of the best places to live in America right now.

Lowell, MA

One of the more affordable places in Massachusetts is Lowell. A lovely city with a population of 111,311. It is located in Middlesex County and offers its residents an urban-suburban mixed feel with a lot of parks, restaurants,  bars, and a lot of opportunities for young professionals. The city is also popular among young families. Especially because of its affordability. At least compared to other cities in the state of Massachusetts. Sadly, when you compare living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois and look at other similar cities in the country, hiring the best cross country movers Lowell and moving here doesn’t look like the best option. Still, it all depends on your financial status and how much you are willing to pay. The median home value in Lowell in 2022 is $416,000, which is a 4% increase compared to 2021.

Springfield, MA

There are 34 places in America named Springfield. And one of them is located in the state of Massachusetts. Precisely, in Hampden County. It is a city with a population of 153,677 and it offers its residents a dense suburban feel with a lot of parks, beautiful nature, and opportunities for outdoor activities. This Springfield is also known as one of the best places for young professionals in the country offering a lot of opportunities for well-paid employment. Springfield, MA is also home to many young families that like to take advantage of its low crime rates and affordable real estate.

Unfortunately, the median home price has increased by 13% compared to last year and now it is around $250,000. But it is still relatively low compared to other cities in the state of Massachusetts. This is probably one of the reasons why best cross country movers Springfield are booked throughout the year.

Chicago, IL

When it comes to places in Illinois the biggest and most popular is the capital, Chicago. And it is one of the best places to look at when you are trying to compare living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois. It is located in Cook County and with a  population of 2,699,347, it is the third-most populous city in the country. Naturally, as one of the biggest cities in America, Chicago can offer anything you can imagine. The best jobs, the best education, and the best entertainment can be found here.

However, living in Chicago is not the most affordable option. Still, it is much more affordable compared to Boston or other larger cities in Massachusetts. For example, the median home price in Chicago in 2022 is $365,000. That is one of many reasons why best cross country moving companies Chicago are booked for months in advance helping Massachusetts residents move to Illinois

Aurora, IL

Another very popular city in Illinois is Aurora. Located in Kane County it is considered one of the suburbs of Chicago. It has a population of 199,326 and offers its residents a dense suburban feel with a lot of parks, restaurants, and bars, as well as above-average public schools low crime rates, and a lot of diversity. When it comes to entertainment, Aurora doesn’t have a lot to offer. However, you will be able to have some fun if you are not too picky.

Of course, the biggest advantages of living in Aurora are affordability, good employment opportunities as well as some of the most affordable real estate in the state of Illinois. The median home value in Aurora in 2022 is  $253,000 which is a 10% increase compared to 2021.  Of course, that is not the only reason why some of the best cross country moving companies Aurora are book these days. There is much more to Aurora than cheap properties.

Naperville, IL

The next city we will use to compare living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois is Naperville – officially the number one place in America to raise a family. It is a city located in DuPage County with a population of 147,734. It offers its residents a dense suburban feel with many great schools, low crime rates, abundant employment opportunities, a lot of diversity, and more. If you are looking for a place to move with your family, hiring one of the best cross country moving companies Naperville and moving here can be the best move in your life.

Of course, as one of the best places in America, the city of Naperville is a little bit on the expensive side. But nothing like Boston or Cambridge in Massachusetts. The median home value in Naperville is  $480,000, which is an 11% increase compared to last year.

Joliet, IL

Another great place in Illinois that draws a lot of attention these days, especially because of the great number of inbound moves is Joliet. Another suburb of Chicago, is located in Will County. It has a population of 147,323 and it is known as one of the best places to live in this area. It offers its residents a sparse suburban feel with great surrounding nature and a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking, running, etc. Besides great nature, Joliet also boasts above-average public schools, low crime rates, good job opportunities,  and a lot of diversity.

When it comes to affordability, the median home price in Joliet in 2022 is $258,000 which is a 12% increase compared to the previous year. Of course, affordability, great schools, and low crime rates are just some of the reasons why the best interstate movers Joliet has to offer are booked all the time. So if you are planning to move here, make sure that you book your movers in advance.

Rockford, IL

Another city that is worth checking out is Rockford.  It is a city with a population of 147,441 considered one of the best places for young professionals in the country. It is located in Winnebago County and offers its residents a dense suburban feel with a lot of diversity and good nightlife but average schools and poor employment opportunities. Still, this city is considered very good for families because of the low cost of living as well as low crime rates.

The median home value in Rockford in 2022 is $118,000, which is an 8,5% increase compared to 2021.  That is the main reason why so many people are looking to hire the best cross country movers Rockford these days. If you are looking for an affordable place to live in Illinois, this is one of the first places that you should check.

Springfield, IL

Since we took a peek at Springfield in Massachusetts it is only fair to compare it with Springfield in Illinois. This Springfield is located in Sangamon County and it is considered one of the best places to buy a house in the country. It has a population of 115,075 and offers a dense suburban feel with a lot of bars, restaurants, parks, as well as above-average schools, and lots of job opportunities. In 2022, the median home price in Springfield, IL is around $145,000, which is around $100,000 lower than in Springfield, MA. A lot of people are hiring best interstate movers Springfield and moving here these days. Hurry up and grab an opportunity to be one of them.

It all depends on your needs and finance

As you can see, when we compare living in Massachusetts vs. Illinois, we see that Illinois is much more affordable but Massachusetts offers better safety and better education for your kids. So it all depends on your needs and budget. If you decide to move, however, make sure that you contact us to ensure a safe and stress-free move, no matter whether you are moving from Illinois to Massachusetts or vice versa.