Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Illinois instead of Nebraska, you would:
Health
live 0.9 years less
In Nebraska, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Illinois, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 60.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Nebraska, 3.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Illinois, that number is 4.8% as of 2025.
be 16.3% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Nebraska, 9.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Illinois, however, that number is 11.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 12.4% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Nebraska has a property crime rate of 1,937 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 1,697 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 35.9% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Nebraska has a violent crime rate of 225 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 306 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 11.9% more for a home
The median home value in Nebraska is $223,800 as of 2023, compared to $250,500 in Illinois as of 2023.
pay 18.6% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Nebraska is $1,035 as of 2023, while in Illinois, it is $1,227 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 10.9% less likely to be physically inactive
In Nebraska, 24.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Illinois, that number is 22.0% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.8 years older on average
The median age in Nebraska is 37.1 years as of 2023. In Illinois, the median age is 38.9 years as of 2023.
be 17.0% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Nebraska, 21.8% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 25.5% as of 2023.
be 58.1% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Nebraska, 4.3% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
commute 9.0 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Nebraska takes 19.1 minutes as of 2023. In Illinois, it takes 28.1 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 8.8 times more densely populated
Nebraska has a population density of 10.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 87.8 people per sq km 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.
