What are some benefits of moving to Tennessee from Illinois?
Tennessee and Illinois have some similarities including the rich landscapes, but Tennessee has a lot of benefits if you are thinking of relocating. Illinois has beautiful scenery whereas Tennessee is mountainous and wooded in many parts of the state. In general, people are moving from Illinois to Tennessee because of the cost-of-living comparison. Tennessee is one of the states that has the lowest cost of living. If you are considering a change in scenery and a lower cost of living, Tennessee might be the place for you!
Housing Market in Illinois
In general, houses cost a bit more in Tennessee compared to Illinois.
There are several reasons for that, so feel free to check out the best places to live in Tennessee if you want to compare the way of life between the two.
However, in terms of housing costs, see below for a comparison of the state of Tennessee vs Illinois. As well as a comparison of the capital cities of Nashville vs Chicago. We are confident that seeing the analysis of these comparisons will help you understand the differences in housing costs.
*All of the following housing cost numbers are as of 10-14-2022, according to Zillow:
Average Housing Cost in Tennessee
- $309,460 (Cost of Home)
- +22.7% (12-month change)
- 86.5% (cost compared to $357,810 national average)
- 0.81% (population growth, total population 7,023,788)
ANALYSIS: On average, the price of a home in Tennessee is higher than it was a year ago. It is still cheaper than the average home in the United States. This would explain part of the allure of moving to Tennessee from many other locations.
Average Housing Cost in Illinois
- $267,383 (Cost of Home)
- +10.9% (12-month change)
- 74.7% (cost compared to $357,810 national average)
- -0.01% (population growth, total population 12,808,884)
ANALYSIS: On average, the price of a home in Illinois is also higher than it was a year ago. The annual growth in cost (as a percentage) is lower than that of Tennessee.
Housing Costs in Nashville, TN
- $458,485 (Cost of Home)
- +25.4% (12-month change)
- 128.1% (compared to $357,810 national average)
- 1.26% (population growth)
ANALYSIS: On average, the price of a home in Nashville is higher than it was a year ago and more expensive than the average home in the United States. It would be wise, however, to look outside of Nashville if you are looking to live in that area.
Housing Costs in Chicago IL
- $315,429 (Cost of Home)
- +6.6% (12-month change)
- 88.2% (compared to $357,810 national average)
- 0.18% (population growth, total population 2,756,546)
ANALYSIS: On average, the price of a home in Chicago is also higher than it was a year ago. The average cost of a home in Chicago is lower than in Nashville, so you would have to plan and save some money if you moved to Tennessee.
Tax Rates in Illinois vs Tennessee
Overall, out of all fifty United States, Illinois is ranked 10th out of 50 for the highest total tax burden, while Tennessee is 49th. Right off the bat, you can tell that there is a huge difference in the cost of living in Tennessee vs Illinois simply based on taxes.
Let’s break it down a little bit more…
Total Tax Burden
9.91% | Illinois (10th out of 50)
5.75% | Tennessee (2nd lowest out of 50… only Alaska is lower)
Income taxes
2.22% | Illinois (30th highest out of 50)
0.06% | Tennessee (43rd highest out of 50)
Sales taxes
3.50% | Illinois (23rd highest out of 50)
3.98% | Tennessee (14th highest out of 50)
Property taxes
3.98% | Illinois (8th highest out of 50)
1.71% | Tennessee (2nd lowest out of 50… only Alabama is lower)
ANALYSIS: There is quite a marginal difference in taxes between Tennessee and Illinois. Illinois has higher tax rates in every category except sales tax.
Average Monthly Utility Bills in Tennessee vs Illinois
The truth is Tennessee ranks higher in cost per month than Illinois when it comes to utility bills. Generally, the average prices differ by close to $25 or more.
Total Utilities
$280 | Illinois (32nd highest out of 50)
$305 | Tennessee (24th highest out of 50)
Water Bill
$26 | Illinois
$43 | Tennessee
Electricity Bill
$87 | Illinois
$126 | Tennessee
Distance from Tennessee to Illinois
The distance between Illinois and Tennessee can be far, but how far exactly? The answer is…it varies.
If you were to drive between the capital cities of Nashville and Chicago, you would travel roughly 442 miles or 7.5 hours.
Illinois and Tennessee are already somewhat far apart, so depending on where you are going in the state, this distance could be longer or shorter. For example, if you drove from Memphis to Chicago, you would drive closer to 533 miles or roughly 8 hours. On the flip side, if you drove from Knoxville to Chicago, you would drive 545 miles in about 8.5 hours.
ObDifferentities in Tennessee and Illinois are different lengths apart, but you can expect to drive for at least 450 miles and between 7.5 to 9 hours regardless of where your destination in Tennessee is.
Is There a Time Change Between Tennessee and Illinois?
The majority of Tennessee and Illinois operate in the same time zone. Illinois and Middle and West Tennessee operate on Central Standard Time (CST), so Nashville is in the same time zone as Illinois time. If you move to East Tennessee, however, you will be one hour ahead of Illinois time because this part of Tennessee operates on Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Cost of Living Comparison:
- California vs Tennessee
- Florida vs Tennessee
- Kentucky vs Tennessee
- North Carolina vs Tennessee
- Arizona vs Tennessee
- Texas vs Tennessee
Living in Tennessee vs Illinois
Pace of Life
Tennessee and Illinois are very different when it comes to the people living in these states. Illinois has a very diverse population considering it is home to diverse ethnic groups in the big city of Chicago. You will also find some diversity in Tennessee, especially as you move through the state, but the pace of living in Tennessee is slower than in Illinois. Also, crime rates are generally higher in Illinois than in Tennessee which affects the pace of life. Read more about the best places to live in Tennessee for families.
Outdoor Activities
Both Illinois and Tennessee have many opportunities for outdoor activities. There are many hiking options in both states, but they each have very different scenery. In Illinois, you are going to see planar and lake landscapes, with places like the Great Lakes, while in Tennessee, you will find mountainous landscapes in many parts of the state. Illinois also has much colder winters than Tennessee does, so outdoor winter activities involving snow are possible. Check out the best places to live in Tennessee on a lake. Are you ready to make the move from Illinois to Tennessee?