Chicago-Naperville-Elgin → Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Chicago-Naperville-Elgin to Boston-Cambridge-Newton is neutral, depends on priorities: BEA regional price parity goes from 103.6 to 108.3 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $1,160/mo.
- +$6,702
- BLS median salary higher in Boston-Cambridge-Newton
- 277 to 309
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 13.4:1 to 11.9:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $8,314
- DOL infant care higher / yr in Boston-Cambridge-Newton
BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.
Pros of Moving
- + $7K higher median salary
- + Better student-teacher ratios
- + Fewer environmental violations
Cons of Moving
- - 5% higher cost of living
- - $1160/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
- - More expensive childcare
Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 103.6 to 108.3 (ratio 1.05), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $1,160/mo ($13,920/yr) from $1,781 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin to $2,941 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton.
The seven-dimension ledger splits (3 destination wins · 4 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Boston-Cambridge-Newton sits #218 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin is #329/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Neutral, depends on priorities. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $6,702 higher ($77,100 → $83,802). Labor-market size: 4,480,500 tracked jobs at origin vs 2,639,240 at destination.
State retirement friendliness favors staying put: Illinois scores 58 (D, #31/51) vs Massachusetts at 45 (F, #48/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.
State retirement friendliness
Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.
- Income tax
- 95
- Property tax
- 46
- Estate tax
- 50
- Healthcare
- 46
- Income tax
- 55
- Property tax
- 65
- Estate tax
- 50
- Healthcare
- 84
Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).
Salary Adjustment Calculator
Enter your current salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin to see what you'd need to earn in Boston-Cambridge-Newton to maintain the same purchasing power.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro profile · Livability rankings · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026