Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Illinois instead of Maryland, you would:
Economy
be 29.7% more likely to be unemployed
In Maryland, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Illinois, that number is 4.8% as of 2025.
be 26.7% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Maryland, 9.0% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Illinois, however, that number is 11.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 27.2% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Maryland has a violent crime rate of 420 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 306 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 16.9% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Maryland has a property crime rate of 2,043 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 1,697 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 37.0% less for a home
The median home value in Maryland is $397,700 as of 2023, compared to $250,500 in Illinois as of 2023.
pay 26.2% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Maryland is $1,662 as of 2023, while in Illinois, it is $1,227 as of 2023.
earn 19.6% less money
The median household income in Maryland is $101,652 as of 2023, while in Illinois, it is $81,702 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.4 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Maryland takes 31.5 minutes as of 2023. In Illinois, it takes 28.1 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 64.3% less densely populated
Maryland has a population density of 245.6 people per sq km as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 87.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 13.3% more likely to be uninsured
In Maryland, 6.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
be 15.0% more likely to smoke
In Maryland, 12.0% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Illinois, that number is 13.8% as of 2022.
be 12.4% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Maryland, 29.1% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 25.5% 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.
