Kentucky vs 
Illinois
Take-home pay after federal tax, state income tax, and FICA — calculated with the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Winner at $100k
Kentucky
Extra take-home / year
$1,450
Per month
$121
Over 10 years
$14,500
Moving from Illinois → Kentucky at $100,000
Metric vs metric
Lower tax and cost figures generally favor the highlighted cell. Rate structure notes sit under each state's calculator link.
| Metric | Kentucky | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | 3.50% · Flat 3.50% | 4.95% · Flat 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | ~6% | ~8.98% |
| Effective property tax | ~0.74% | ~1.88% |
| Cost of living index | 92.5 | 95.1 |
| Median household income | $60,800 | $77,800 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.5% |
Dig into each state's paycheck
Kentucky rate structure
Flat 3.50% state income tax on taxable wages (before credits).
Illinois rate structure
Flat 4.95% state income tax on taxable wages (before credits).
Overview
Kentucky (Flat 3.50%) vs Illinois (Flat 4.95%). At $100,000 gross (single), Kentucky typically leaves you with about $1,450 more take-home than Illinois after federal, state, and FICA. Sales tax ~6% vs ~8.98%; property tax ~0.74% vs ~1.88%. Median household income (ACS 2024): $60,800 vs $77,800.
Take-home by income
Net pay after federal income tax, state income tax, and FICA — single filer, standard deduction, no dependents (2026). Advantage is take-home in Illinois minus Kentucky.
| Gross | Kentucky take-home | Illinois take-home | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $40,605 | $39,880 | −$725 |
| $75,000 | $58,968 | $57,880 | −$1,088 |
| $100,000Headline | $75,680 | $74,230 | −$1,450 |
| $150,000 | $108,541 | $106,366 | −$2,175 |
| $200,000 | $141,927 | $139,027 | −$2,900 |
| $500,000 | $322,977 | $315,727 | −$7,250 |
Assumptions: single filer, standard deduction, no dependents, tax year 2026. At $100k: FICA ≈ $7,650 in both states; effective total tax rate ≈ 24.3% in Kentucky vs 25.8% in Illinois. Local city taxes are not included unless noted.
$100k tax breakdown: Kentucky vs Illinois
Where a $100,000 paycheck goes after federal income tax, state income tax, and FICA (2026, single filer).
| Line item | Kentucky | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Federal income tax (est.) | $13,170 | $13,170 |
| State income tax | $3,500 | $4,950 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | $7,650 | $7,650 |
| Take-home pay | $75,680 | $74,230 |
| Effective total tax rate | 24.3% | 25.8% |
| Monthly take-home | $6,307 | $6,186 |
Federal estimates can differ slightly between states when state interactions affect taxable income. Combined sales tax ~6% (Kentucky) vs ~8.98% (Illinois); effective property tax ~0.74% vs ~1.88%.
Pros & cons: Kentucky vs Illinois
Tax structure, living costs, and lifestyle trade-offs beyond the paycheck number.
Kentucky
Pros
- Lower top/marginal state rate (Flat 3.50%) than Illinois (Flat 4.95%)
- About $1,450/year more take-home at $100k gross (single) vs Illinois
- Lower combined sales tax (~6% vs ~8.98% in Illinois)
- Lower effective property tax (~0.74% vs ~1.88% in Illinois)
Cons
- −Lower median household income ($60,800 ACS 2024 vs $77,800)
- −Local city/county taxes and credits are not fully modeled in the headline ladder
- −Housing, insurance, and wages can outweigh pure income-tax differences
Illinois
Pros
- Higher median household income ($77,800 ACS 2024 vs $60,800)
- Modeled with our 2026 federal + state + FICA paycheck engine
- Use the Illinois paycheck calculator for your filing status and deductions
Cons
- −State income tax (Flat 4.95%) reduces take-home vs a $0-income-tax peer
- −Roughly $1,450/year less take-home at $100k vs Kentucky
- −Higher combined sales tax (~8.98% vs ~6% in Kentucky)
- −Higher effective property tax (~1.88% vs ~0.74% in Kentucky)
Who wins when
Quick read on when each state is the better fit — beyond the headline tax number.
- Kentucky wins on take-home pay at every salary band in our ladder (single filer, standard deduction).
- Kentucky: Lower top/marginal state rate (Flat 3.50%) than Illinois (Flat 4.95%)
- Kentucky: About $1,450/year more take-home at $100k gross (single) vs Illinois
- Illinois: Higher median household income ($77,800 ACS 2024 vs $60,800)
- Illinois: Modeled with our 2026 federal + state + FICA paycheck engine
How we calculate Kentucky vs Illinois
Tax engine. Federal income tax uses 2026 IRS brackets and the standard deduction for a single filer. FICA includes Social Security and Medicare employee shares. State income tax applies Kentucky's and Illinois's rules as modeled in our US calculator (Flat 3.50% vs Flat 4.95%).
What's included. Wage income only — no capital gains, self-employment tax, itemized deductions, credits, or local city wage taxes (e.g. NYC) unless noted. Sales tax (~6% vs ~8.98%) and property tax (~0.74% vs ~1.88%) are context metrics, not subtracted from the take-home ladder.
Cost of living. COL indexes (92.5 vs 95.1, 100 = US average) and median household income ($60,800 vs $77,800) help interpret whether a paycheck win buys more in real life. For city-level equivalent salary, use the Kentucky → Illinois relocation calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Kentucky vs Illinois taxes, take-home pay, and relocation.
Moving Kentucky → Illinois?
Model cost-of-living equivalent salary, or open each state's paycheck calculator with your filing status and deductions.
Related tools
Estimates only for tax year 2026. Not tax advice — verify with your state tax agency or a CPA before relocating. Figures assume a single filer with the standard deduction and no dependents.