Cook County · Illinois
Chicago, IL demographics
Population, income and the local tax burden that sits on top of them — sourced from the Census Bureau and the Illinois Department of Revenue.
Quick answer
Chicago, IL has a population of 2,664,452 and a median household income of $71,673 — about $5,973 a month before tax. That ranks 41 of 94 covered metros by income and 3 of 94 by population.
Population
2,664,452
City limits, ACS 5-year
Median household income
$71,673
ACS 5-year estimate
Combined sales tax
10.25%
Illinois + local
Income rank
#41
of 94 covered metros
Estimated annual sales tax on a median household
A Chicago household at the median income of $71,673 spending roughly a quarter of pre-tax income on taxable retail goods would pay about $1,837 a year in sales tax at 10.25%. This is an illustration, not a filing figure: the taxable share of spending varies with household composition, and Illinois exempts or discounts several categories. Chicago's 10.25% is the highest combined rate among the largest US cities, and groceries and prescription drugs are taxed at a reduced 1% state rate.
Method: median household income × 25% taxable share × combined rate. The 25% share is a rough national benchmark from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey, not a Chicago-specific measurement.
Sources
What each figure on this page comes from.
- Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- Source: Illinois Department of Revenue rate tables · rates as published for 2026