Uprootmap
Chicago vs Cedar Rapids
Chicago and Cedar Rapids
Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Cedar Rapids are under the US rate in this release, 4.6 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Chicago to Cedar Rapids
In 2022-2023, 120 households filed a move from Chicago to Cedar Rapids (about 198 people, average adjusted gross income $45,733). 148 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,782 in Chicago and $904 in Cedar Rapids. Chicago has a state tax on wages. Cedar Rapids has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Cedar Rapids is 97% of the national level for the same work, against 105% in Chicago.
Cedar Rapids averages 202 sunny days, with July highs around 81°F and January nights around 17°F. Chicago is 189 sunny days, 84°F in July, 20°F in January. Commutes average 20 minutes in Cedar Rapids and 33 in Chicago.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 120 households moved Chicago → Cedar Rapids (about 198 people, average AGI $45,733). 148 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Chicago and Cedar Rapids changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 235 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,800–$3,350
- Container or pod
- $1,200–$2,250
- Rent a truck
- $500–$900
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Dig into Cedar Rapids
Questions
Is Cedar Rapids cheaper than Chicago after tax and rent?
Yes. Cedar Rapids leaves about $1,120 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,782 in Chicago and $904 in Cedar Rapids.
Does Cedar Rapids have state income tax?
Cedar Rapids is in Iowa, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Chicago to Cedar Rapids?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.