Moving from Illinois to Florida
Moving to Florida on the same salary slightly raises your real buying power (+2.8%); about $82,300 there would match what you have now. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
Equal salary in FL: $82,300
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $82,300 in Florida to match $85,000 in Illinois ($2,700 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $85,000 | Illinois | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $9,870 | $9,870 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $6,503 | $6,503 |
| State income tax | $4,063 | $0 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $64,565 | $68,628 |
Key facts: Illinois to Florida
- Median rent
- $1,322 → $1,812/mo
- Median home value
- $280,700 → $396,900
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 100.0 → 103.4
- Road distance
- ≈ 1,180 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (90.4 → 95.3 of 100)
What changes when you move to Florida
- Florida has no state income tax on wages. At $85,000 you'd stop paying about $4,063 a year in Illinois income tax.
- BEA's housing price index is 30% higher in Florida. Median rent goes from $1,322 to $1,812 a month and the median home value from $280,700 to $396,900.
- Homeowners pay less property tax: the median bill is $2,993 in Florida vs $5,399 in Illinois.
- The average home electric bill is $156 a month in Florida vs $110 in Illinois (EIA 2024), about $553 a year more.
- Prices for everyday goods are 5% lower (BEA). The statewide sales tax rate is 6% in Florida vs 6.25% in Illinois, before local sales taxes.
Who moves from Illinois to Florida
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 14,834 households (24,958 people) filed their taxes in Florida after filing in Illinois the year before. That makes Florida the #1 destination for people leaving Illinois. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $223,120. Going the other way, 9,299 households moved from Florida to Illinois, a net gain of 5,535 households for Florida.
Five-year trend
Moves from Illinois to Florida peaked in 2020–21 at 18,180 households, then fell 18% by 2022–23. That is still up 12% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Illinois to Florida
Moving cost: $830–$11,160
Moving about 1,180 miles from Illinois to Florida costs roughly $830 – $11,160, depending on how much of the work you hire out.
Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).
| Moving method | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time. | $830 – $3,550 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,670 – $4,200 |
| Full-service movers Packing, loading, transport and unloading. | $2,690 – $11,160 |
These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.
A rental truck also burns about 118 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.
Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.
Alaska and Hawaii ranges come from published carrier rates and moving quotes, dated in each row (Matson's household-goods rates, U-Pack, Royal Hawaiian Movers). See how we estimate.
Shipping a car from Illinois to Florida
Car shipping: $950–$1,400
Shipping a sedan from Illinois to Florida on an open carrier costs about $950–$1,400, typically 3–7 days in transit over about 1,180 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Illinois vs Florida take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in FL | Take-home change | Take-home in IL | Take-home in FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $48,800 | +$2,330 | $40,025 | $42,355 |
| $75,000 | $72,700 | +$3,568 | $58,025 | $61,593 |
| $100,000 | $96,800 | +$4,805 | $74,375 | $79,180 |
| $150,000 | $144,600 | +$7,280 | $106,511 | $113,791 |
| $250,000 | $240,200 | +$12,230 | $170,952 | $183,182 |
Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.
At higher incomes, especially for homeowners, itemizing state and local taxes (deductible up to $40,400 in 2026) can lower your federal tax while you live in Illinois, which narrows the gap shown.
Cost of living: Illinois vs Florida
| Measure | Illinois | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 100.0 | 103.4 |
| Housing price index | 93.9 | 122.1 |
| Utilities price index | 85.0 | 90.1 |
| Goods price index | 103.8 | 98.1 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $1,322 | $1,812 |
| Median home value | $280,700 | $396,900 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $5,399 | $2,993 |
| Electricity (residential) | 19.89¢/kWh | 15.10¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 6.25% | 6% |
| Median household income | $83,211 | $77,735 |
Renting and buying: Illinois vs Florida
| Measure | Illinois | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $52,880 | $72,480 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $2,052 | $2,559 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $87,942 | $109,667 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,387 | $2,492 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $19,807 | $13,011 |
Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in Florida for other down payments.
Your yearly budget: Illinois vs Florida
On an $85,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $48,861 a year in Illinois and $52,112 in Florida if you rent: $3,251 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $57,621 and $61,075 ($3,454 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | IL | FL | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $85,000, single filer | $20,435 | $16,373 | -$4,062 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,320 | $1,873 | +$553 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,153 | $1,865 | +$712 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,337 | $2,061 | -$276 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,752 | $8,196 | +$444 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $15,864 | $21,744 | +$5,880 |
| Total if you rent | $48,861 | $52,112 | +$3,251 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $17,838 | $25,222 | +$7,384 |
| Property tax median home | $5,399 | $2,993 | -$2,406 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,387 | $2,492 | +$1,105 |
| Total if you buy | $57,621 | $61,075 | +$3,454 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $19,807 a year in Illinois and $13,011 in Florida (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Compare cities: Illinois to Florida
Cost of living in Florida cities: Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville.
After you arrive in Florida
- Florida new resident checklist: driver license and vehicle registration deadlines.
- Taxes the year you move: part-year returns in Illinois and Florida.
- How Florida taxes retirement income.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in Florida to live like I do in Illinois?
An $85,000 salary in Illinois works out to about $82,300 in Florida once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $96,800.
Will I pay less tax in Florida than in Illinois?
Yes, about $4,063 less a year in income and payroll taxes on an $85,000 salary (24.0% of pay in Illinois vs 19.3% in Florida). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Illinois to Florida?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 1,180 miles, expect roughly $830–$3,550 with a rental truck, $1,670–$4,200 with a moving container, or $2,690–$11,160 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Illinois to Florida?
Moves from Illinois to Florida peaked in 2020–21 at 18,180 households, then fell 18% by 2022–23. That is still up 12% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Illinois to Florida?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 14,834 households (24,958 people) moved from Illinois to Florida, making Florida the #1 destination for people leaving Illinois. 9,299 households moved the other way.
Is Florida cheaper than Illinois?
Overall prices in Florida are 3.4% higher than Illinois (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,812 vs $1,322 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from Illinois actually move
- IL to Indiana 12,570 households
- IL to Texas 12,078 households
- IL to Wisconsin 11,331 households
- IL to California 10,407 households
- IL to Missouri 8,668 households
- IL to Arizona 5,528 households
- IL to New York 5,325 households
- IL to Michigan 5,300 households