Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Lake County, IL would need to be about $38,540 in Benton County, MS, or $11,460 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Lake County, IL vs Benton County, MS: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Benton County, MS is cheaper than Lake County, IL.
Moving to Benton County, MS is estimated to save $14,122 per year.
Cheaper County
Benton County, MSSave about $14,122 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Lake County, IL is about $38,540 in Benton County, MS.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $1,253 per year. Housing saves $8,153 per year.
Housing: $8,153 lower in Benton County, MS
Taxes: $4,716 lower in Benton County, MS
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $1,253 higher in Benton County, MS
Food: $716 lower in Benton County, MS
Transport: $962 higher in Benton County, MS
Lake County, IL→Benton County, MS
Equivalent salary in Benton County, MS
$38,540
-22.92% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Lake County, IL: $132,828
Median Income in Benton County, MS: $52,556
Living Index in Lake County, IL 46.39%
Living Index in Benton County, MS 90.38%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Lake County, IL to Benton County, MS.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Lake County, IL to Benton County, MS is estimated to save $14,122 per year. A $50,000 salary in Lake County, IL would have similar purchasing power to about $38,540 in Benton County, MS. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -22.92% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $8,153 per year lower (-45.71%); Taxes is $4,716 per year lower (-34.19%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Lake County, IL and Benton County, MS, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 46.4% of median family income in Lake County, IL and 90.4% in Benton County, MS. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $8,153 per year lower in Benton County, MS than in Lake County, IL. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Benton County, MS changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $716 per year lower in Benton County, MS than in Lake County, IL. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Benton County, MS can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $962 per year higher in Benton County, MS than in Lake County, IL. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Benton County, MS.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $1,253 per year higher in Benton County, MS than in Lake County, IL. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Benton County, MS changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $2,753 per year lower in Benton County, MS than in Lake County, IL. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Benton County, MS help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Lake County, IL and Benton County, MS, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Benton County, MS, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $4,716 per year lower in Benton County, MS than in Lake County, IL. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Benton County, MS matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Benton County, MS.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Benton County, MS
Annual Increase:
$1,253 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Benton County, MS.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Benton County, MS
Annual Savings:
$8,153 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Benton County, MS.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -46% lower | |
| Food | -15% lower | |
| Transport | 7% higher | |
| Healthcare | 25% higher | |
| Other Costs | -39% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -34% lower |
In Benton County, MS, modeled annual costs are $47,502 compared with $61,624 in Lake County, IL.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Benton County, MS. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Benton County, MS and Lake County, IL are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
