Question 1

What is the cost of living in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?

Accepted Answer

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parity) is 103.59, where 100 equals the U.S. average. That means everyday goods, services, and housing cost about 3.6% more than the national average. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $1,781/month.

Question 2

What is the average salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?

Accepted Answer

Across the 100 BLS-tracked occupation categories with published data in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, the average median wage is $162,834. The single highest-paying occupation here is Radiologists at $479,910/year (BLS OEWS).

Question 3

What are the highest-paying jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?

Accepted Answer

Based on BLS OEWS data, the top-paying occupations in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN are: 1) Radiologists at $479,910; 2) Cardiologists at $475,590; 3) Surgeons, All Other at $462,620; 4) Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric at $446,510; 5) Dermatologists at $435,750. Click any occupation above to see the full wage breakdown (10th to 90th percentile).

Question 4

How much does it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a 2-bedroom unit in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $1,781/month. FMR is the rent level HUD uses to administer housing assistance and reflects the 40th percentile of standard-quality rentals, updated annually.

Question 5

Where does AffordMap's Chicago-Naperville-Elgin data come from?

Accepted Answer

Salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPP). Rent comes from HUD Fair Market Rents. All three are federal datasets, updated annually, and free to use. AffordMap pairs them so you can see what a salary actually buys after local costs.

Rank	Occupation	Category	Median salary	Hourly
81	Electrical Engineers	Engineering	$114K	$54.58/hr
82	Personal Financial Advisors	Business & Finance	$113K	$54.43/hr
83	Tapers	Construction & Trades	$113K	$54.41/hr
84	Facilities Managers	Management	$113K	$54.4/hr
85	Commercial and Industrial Designers	Arts & Media	$113K	$54.3/hr
86	Forensic Science Technicians	Science	$113K	$54.23/hr
87	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products	Sales	$112K	$53.92/hr
88	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers	Production & Manufacturing	$111K	$53.54/hr
89	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers	Construction & Trades	$111K	$53.49/hr
90	Chemical Engineers	Engineering	$111K	$53.25/hr

Top Paying Jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Highest paying careers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin

Affordability snapshot: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin