Uprootmap
Gainesville vs Chicago
Gainesville and Chicago
Photo: Diego Delso / 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 Chicago are above the US rate in this release, 11.2 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Gainesville to Chicago
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Gainesville to Chicago above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,318 in Gainesville and $1,782 in Chicago. Gainesville has a state tax on wages. Chicago has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Chicago is 105% of the national level for the same work, against 88% in Gainesville.
Chicago averages 189 sunny days, with July highs around 84°F and January nights around 20°F. Gainesville is 211 sunny days, 89°F in July, 36°F in January. Commutes average 33 minutes in Chicago and 28 in Gainesville.
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
The IRS did not publish a large enough Gainesville → Chicago pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
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 Gainesville and Chicago changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 670 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $2,300–$4,300
- Container or pod
- $1,600–$3,000
- Rent a truck
- $800–$1,450
Explore more
Dig into Chicago
Questions
Is Chicago cheaper than Gainesville after tax and rent?
No. Chicago leaves about $401 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,318 in Gainesville and $1,782 in Chicago.
Does Chicago have state income tax?
Chicago is in Illinois, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Gainesville to Chicago?
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.