Uprootmap
Chicago vs Kenosha
Chicago and Kenosha
Photo: Stephen Matthew Milligan / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Kenosha are under the US rate in this release, 4.7 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Chicago to Kenosha
In 2022-2023, 1,508 households filed a move from Chicago to Kenosha (about 2,407 people, average adjusted gross income $64,612). 853 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,782 in Chicago and $1,189 in Kenosha. Chicago has a state tax on wages. Kenosha has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Kenosha is 98% of the national level for the same work, against 105% in Chicago.
Kenosha averages 184 sunny days, with July highs around 79°F and January nights around 22°F. Chicago is 189 sunny days, 84°F in July, 20°F in January. Commutes average 26 minutes in Kenosha 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, 1,508 households moved Chicago → Kenosha (about 2,407 people, average AGI $64,612). 853 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 Kenosha changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 69 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,600–$3,000
- Container or pod
- $1,050–$2,000
- Rent a truck
- $350–$700
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Dig into Kenosha
Questions
Is Kenosha cheaper than Chicago after tax and rent?
Yes. Kenosha leaves about $278 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,782 in Chicago and $1,189 in Kenosha.
Does Kenosha have state income tax?
Kenosha is in Wisconsin, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Chicago to Kenosha?
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.