Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Nebraska instead of Illinois, you would:
Health
live 0.9 years longer
In Illinois, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020. In Nebraska, that number is 78 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 37.5% less likely to be unemployed
In Illinois, 4.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Nebraska, that number is 3.0% as of 2025.
be 14.0% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Illinois, 11.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Nebraska, however, that number is 9.8% as of 2023.
Safety
be 26.4% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Illinois has a violent crime rate of 306 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Nebraska, that number is 225 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 14.1% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Illinois has a property crime rate of 1,697 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Nebraska, that number is 1,937 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 10.7% less for a home
The median home value in Illinois is $250,500 as of 2023, compared to $223,800 in Nebraska as of 2023.
pay 15.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Illinois is $1,227 as of 2023, while in Nebraska, it is $1,035 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 9.0 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Illinois takes 28.1 minutes as of 2023. In Nebraska, it takes 19.1 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 88.6% less densely populated
Illinois has a population density of 87.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Nebraska, that number is 10.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 12.3% more likely to be physically inactive
In Illinois, 22.0% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Nebraska, that number is 24.7% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.8 years older on average
The median age in Illinois is 38.9 years as of 2023. In Nebraska, the median age is 37.1 years as of 2023.
be 14.5% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Illinois, 25.5% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Nebraska, that number is 21.8% as of 2023.
be 36.8% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Illinois, 6.8% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Nebraska, that number is 4.3% as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
