Salary in Chicago, IL · 2026
Is $80,000 a good salary in Chicago, IL?
Is $80,000 a good salary in Chicago, IL?
Nationally, $80,000 sits around the 71st percentile of US earners. But in Chicago, IL what matters is what's left: after IL tax your take-home is about $5,096 a month, and living alone here costs roughly $2,770 — so it's a comfortable salary for living alone here, leaving about $2,326 a month.
Verified 12 August 2026
| In Chicago, IL on $80,000 | |
|---|---|
| Take-home pay (after IL tax) | $5,096/mo |
| Rent (one-bed) | −$1,900 |
| Utilities, transport, food, health | −$870 |
| Left each month | $2,326 |
Rent alone would take about 37% of your take-home — a little above the 30% guideline. Sharing a place changes this picture significantly.
How it compares nationally
Across the whole US, $80,000 is $26,990 above the median individual income of $53,010, around the 71st percentile. But the same salary feels very different depending on the city — which is exactly why local cost matters as much as the headline number.