Illinois
$859
max weekly · rank #6
- Max weeks
- 26
- Max total
- $22,334
Taxed by state
2026Illinois vs Tennessee Unemployment Benefits
Illinois has the higher maximum total by $15,184. Compare weekly maxima, duration, salary examples, tax treatment, eligibility, and filing considerations for both states.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Higher maximum total
Illinois is higher
$22,334 vs $7,150, a $15,184 difference at the weekly maximum for the full modeled duration.
Side-by-side unemployment benefits scoreboard
Tennessee
$275
max weekly · rank #47
- Max weeks
- 26
- Max total
- $7,150
No state income tax
Benefit metric comparison
Rankings use published maxima. A higher weekly maximum with a shorter duration can still lose on maximum total benefits.
| Metric | Illinois | Tennessee | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max weekly | $859 | $275 | $584 |
| Min weekly | $51 | $30 | $21 |
| Max weeks | 26 | 26 | 0 |
| Max total | $22,334 | $7,150 | $15,184 |
| Weekly rank | #6 | #47 | #1 highest |
| State tax on UI | Taxed by state | No state income tax | Federal always |
Illinois leads on maximum weekly benefit by $584.
Estimated weekly benefits at common salary levels
Illustrative estimates assume high-quarter wages ≈ annual salary ÷ 4, then apply the shared high-quarter ÷ 26 approximation clamped to each state's min/max. High earners often hit both caps.
| Scenario | Illinois weekly | Tennessee weekly | Illinois total | Tennessee total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 prior salary | $480 | $275 | $12,480 | $7,150 |
| $75,000 prior salary | $721 | $275 | $18,746 | $7,150 |
| $100,000 prior salary | $859 | $275 | $22,334 | $7,150 |
$50,000 prior salary
Illinois$480/wk
Tennessee$275/wk
$75,000 prior salary
Illinois$721/wk
Tennessee$275/wk
$100,000 prior salary
Illinois$859/wk
Tennessee$275/wk
Worked example: $100,000 prior salary
Same high-quarter assumption ($25,000) in both states. The difference comes from each state's min/max clamp and maximum weeks.
How the comparison is built
- 1.Start with the same $25,000 high-quarter wages in both states.
- 2.Estimate raw weekly benefits as $25,000 ÷ 26 ≈ $961.
- 3.Clamp to Illinois's $51–$859 range and Tennessee's $30–$275 range.
- 4.Multiply by 26 weeks in Illinois and 26 weeks in Tennessee.
Modeled result
- Illinois weekly / total
- $859 / $22,334
- Tennessee weekly / total
- $275 / $7,150
- Total difference
- $15,184
Educational estimate only. Exact agency formulas, dependents, and eligibility can change the result.
State rules explained
Why Illinois and Tennessee produce different unemployment results
The gap is not only one weekly number. Duration, tax treatment, and eligibility notes can change which state looks better for a given worker.
Illinois rules
High max weekly benefit including dependents and a full 26-week duration.
Max WBA reflects the published maximum including dependents.
IL generally taxes unemployment benefits as ordinary state income. Federal income tax also applies.
Typically requires sufficient base-period wages, unemployment through no fault of your own, and that you are able, available, and actively seeking work. Exact monetary and non-monetary rules are set by the state agency.
- Max weekly
- $859
- Max weeks
- 26
Tennessee rules
Tennessee pays up to $275/week for up to 26 weeks of regular UI.
Weekly benefits are usually based on base-period wages and clamped to the state min/max.
TN has no broad state wage income tax, so UI is not taxed at the state level. Federal income tax still applies.
Typically requires sufficient base-period wages, unemployment through no fault of your own, and that you are able, available, and actively seeking work. Exact monetary and non-monetary rules are set by the state agency.
- Max weekly
- $275
- Max weeks
- 26
When the higher-benefit state can change
The maximum-total winner is a useful benchmark, not a guarantee for every claimant. Review these factors before concluding that one state always pays more.
Your actual wages
Lower earners may land between each state's min and max. Illinois floors at $51; Tennessee floors at $30.
Duration vs weekly amount
Illinois models 26 weeks and Tennessee models 26 weeks. A shorter duration can erase a higher weekly maximum.
Taxes on UI
Federal tax applies in both. State treatment: taxed by state in Illinois vs no state income tax in Tennessee.
Eligibility and disqualifications
Misconduct, quitting without good cause, refusing suitable work, or failing work-search rules can reduce or deny benefits in either state.
Dependents and special allowances
Where published, max WBA may include dependency allowances. Confirm whether your household qualifies.
Part-time earnings
Partial benefits while working can change weekly amounts differently under each state's earnings disregard.
Moving between Illinois and Tennessee while unemployed
Unemployment claims are generally tied to where you earned covered wages, not only where you live after a layoff. Moving to the higher-maximum state usually does not rewrite the paying state's weekly benefit.
Questions to resolve
- Which state(s) paid your covered wages in the base period—Illinois, Tennessee, or both?
- Will you file a regular claim, interstate claim, or combined-wage claim?
- Where will you seek work and certify each week?
- Does either state require in-person reporting or local work-search rules after a move?
- How will tax withholding and 1099-G reporting work after relocation?
Practical takeaway
Use this page to compare published maxima and tax treatment. File with the correct paying state agency for an official determination. Interstate claim logistics are handled by the state unemployment systems—not by changing your mailing address alone.
Checklist before comparing a real claim
Confirm base-period wages
Identify which employers and states paid covered wages that Illinois or Tennessee can count.
Estimate both weekly amounts
Use high-quarter wages in the calculator for each state instead of relying only on the published maximum.
Compare duration and taxes
Model 26 vs 26 weeks and whether state tax applies after federal tax.
Review separation reason
Layoff, discharge, and quit rules differ. A denial in one state does not automatically transfer.
Plan certifications
Weekly or biweekly certifications, work-search logs, and able/available status still control payment.
Keep tax documents
Save claim confirmations and Form 1099-G. Federal tax applies even when a state exempts UI.
Max weekly is a ceiling
Most claimants earn less than $859 in Illinois or $275 in Tennessee.
Duration multiplies the gap
A 0-week difference can outweigh a modest weekly gap over a full claim.
Federal tax is nationwide
UI is taxable federally in both states. State tax treatment is the variable layer.
Compare a different pair
Compare any two states
Max weekly benefit, duration, total benefits, and state tax treatment.
Related tools
Illinois vs Tennessee unemployment FAQs
Illinois has the higher maximum total benefits by $15,184. Max weekly amounts are $859 in Illinois and $275 in Tennessee.
Illinois has the higher maximum weekly benefit by $584.
Illinois models up to 26 weeks and Tennessee up to 26 weeks. Some states shorten or lengthen duration with the unemployment rate.
Federal income tax applies in both states. State treatment: Illinois — taxed by state; Tennessee — no state income tax. IL generally taxes unemployment benefits as ordinary state income. Federal income tax also applies. TN has no broad state wage income tax, so UI is not taxed at the state level. Federal income tax still applies.
No. Most claimants receive less than the state maximum. Weekly amounts usually depend on base-period wages and are clamped between the state minimum and maximum.
The modeled gap is $15,184 ($22,334 vs $7,150).
Claims are generally filed with the state where you earned covered wages. Moving after a layoff usually does not rewrite the paying state's weekly maximum. Interstate and combined-wage claims have separate agency rules.
Both comparisons use a shared high-quarter ÷ 26 approximation clamped to each state's min/max. Illinois clamps between $51 and $859; Tennessee clamps between $30 and $275.
Illinois has the higher modeled maximum total, but eligibility, actual wages, taxes, and living costs still matter.
You generally cannot collect duplicate weeks for the same unemployment from two states at once. Wage credits may be combined across states under combined-wage claim rules when eligible.
Estimates are educational. Actual weekly benefits and eligibility are determined by the paying state unemployment agency.