Georgia to Illinois Moving Guide
Updated June 10, 2025

Planning a 854 mile interstate move from Georgia to Illinois? This moving guide will help you compare living in Georgia vs Illinois across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like hot summers vs milder summers), food & health (like Peach Cobbler vs Deep Dish Pizza), real estate & housing (traditional, craftsman vs prairie, mid-century modern), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Illinois), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Peach Cobbler and Fried Chicken, but get your taste buds ready for Deep Dish Pizza & Italian Beef
- Illinois housing costs are 21% less expensive than they are in Georgia
- Rent in Illinois is 3.57% more affordable than in Georgia
- Moving from Georgia to Illinois will cost on average between $1,500 - $6,000
- Our top recommended Georgia to Illinois movers is Moving Etc
Georgia to Illinois Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Georgia to Illinois
- Hot summers
- Traffic congestion
- Limited cultural venues
- Hurricane risk
- Lower elevation variety
- Milder summers
- Better public transport
- Rich cultural scene
- Minimal natural disasters
- Diverse landscapes
- Higher living costs
- Busy urban life
- Heavier urban diet
- Cold winters
- High-density areas
- Lower living cost
- Friendly community
- Southern cuisine
- Warm winters
- Charming small towns
Pros of moving from Georgia to Illinois
- Say goodbye to hot summers and hello to milder summers
- Look forward to moving away from traffic congestion and moving to Illinois with better public transport
- Swap the limited cultural venues of Georgia for a rich cultural scene in Illinois
- Get ready for minimal natural disasters in Illinois
Cons of moving from Georgia to Illinois
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from a lower living cost in Georgia to live with higher living costs in Illinois
- You'll lose out on the pro of a friendly community and have to settle with the con of a busy urban life
- Time to bid farewell to southern cuisine and get used to a heavier urban diet in Illinois
- Swap warm winters for cold winters
Georgia vs. Illinois: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Georgia | Illinois |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Peach Cobbler | Deep Dish Pizza |
Most popular meat dish | Fried Chicken | Italian Beef |
Most popular street food item | Boiled Peanuts | Chicago-style Hot Dog |
Most popular vegan food | Collard Greens | Seitan Sandwiches |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Georgia to Illinois, you will be trading the iconic Peach Cobbler of Georgia for the equally delicious Deep Dish Pizza of Illinois. And while the locals in Georgia rave about their flavorful Fried Chicken and sumptuous Boiled Peanuts, Illinois residents know they have tasty Italian Beef and Chicago-style Hot Dog to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Collard Greens they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Seitan Sandwiches of Illinois. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Georgia eateries like The Varsity, Mary Mac's Tea Room, and The Fox Theatre. After the boxes are unpacked in Illinois, don't wait too long before making your way to Illinois' acclaimed eateries like Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, Portillo's, and Alinea.
When comparing lifestyles, Illinois shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Georgia. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Illinois compared to what you are used to in Georgia. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Illinois.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Georgia and Illinois
Comparison | Georgia | Illinois |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Traditional, Craftsman | Prairie, Mid-Century Modern |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Spacious backyard, open floor plan | Close to transit, eco-friendly features |
- The Traditional and Craftsman architecture that Georgia is known for will be replaced with the Prairie and Mid-Century Modern architecture typical of Illinois.
- Compared to Georgia's real estate listings that commonly reference spacious backyards and open floor plans, Illinois real estate listings often highlight features like proximity to transit and eco-friendly attributes.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Illinois is more walkable than Georgia.
- Illinois is similarly bike-friendly to Georgia.
- Illinois has more of an urban feel than Georgia.
- Illinois housing costs are 21% less expensive than they are in Georgia, with a median home price of $257,738 compared to Georgiaβs $327,174.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Illinois have increased 35% compared to a 64% increase in Georgia.
- Rent in Illinois is 3.57% more affordable than in Georgia.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Georgia and Illinois
Comparison | Georgia | Illinois |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Tornadoes | Tornadoes, Winter Storms |
Air Quality | Moderate | Moderate to Good |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 89/68 | 85/64 |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 52/33 | 35/18 |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 50 | 39 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 1 | 36 |
- The shades won't be used as much for your move from Georgia to Illinois. Illinois gets 13% fewer sunshine days than Georgia.
- Illinois has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Georgia.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and tornadoes in Georgia, but be on the lookout for potential tornadoes and winter storms in Illinois.
- Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in Illinois is 4 degrees colder than in Georgia.
- The average winter lows are 15 degrees colder than they are in Georgia.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Illinois. Illinois receives 11 fewer inches of rain compared to Georgia.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Georgia and Illinois
Comparison | Georgia | Illinois |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $72,837 | $76,708 |
Cost of Living Index | 93.35 | 94.25 |
State Income Tax | 5.75% | 4.95% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.91% | 2.27% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 7.32% | 8.81% |
Top 3 Industries | Agriculture, Manufacturing, Film | Finance, Manufacturing, Education |
Affluence | Moderate | High |
Poverty | Moderate | Moderate |
Homelessness | Low | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Illinois tend to earn about 5% more than in Georgia
- The COLI in Illinois will be 1% higher than what you are used to living in Georgia
- The state income tax in IL is 4.95% compared to 5.75% in GA
- The affluence in Illinois is high compared to moderate in Georgia
- The poverty level is moderate in Illinois compared to moderate in Georgia
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Georgia and moderate in Illinois
Political and Religious Climate in Georgia vs. Illinois
Comparison | Georgia | Illinois |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Mix of conservative and liberal, with recent shifts towards blue in urban areas | Generally liberal, especially in Chicago and other urban areas |
Local Politics | Significant influence from Democratic Party of Georgia and Georgia Republican Party | Strong presence of Illinois Democratic Party across state, with some Republican strongholds |
Religion | Highly religious, with a strong evangelical Christian presence | More religiously diverse with significant Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish communities |
- Georgia tends to lean towards a mix of conservative and liberal in its political climate
- Illinois, on the other hand, is often described as generally liberal, especially in Chicago and other urban areas
- Illinois' religious environment can be described as more religiously diverse, with significant Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish communities
- Georgia's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as highly religious, with a strong evangelical Christian presence
Education Guide When Moving from Georgia to Illinois
Comparison | Georgia | Illinois |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | Georgia State University University of Georgia Georgia Institute of Technology | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Northwestern University University of Chicago |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Brandon Elementary School Atlanta; Britt David Elementary School Columbus; Kittredge Magnet School Atlanta | South Loop Elementary School Chicago; Meadow Glens Elementary School Naperville; Lincoln Elementary School Springfield |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Davidson Magnet School Augusta; River Trail Middle School Johns Creek; South Forsyth Middle School Cumming | Woodlawn Middle School Long Grove; Daniel Wright Junior High School Lincolnshire; Twin Groves Middle School Buffalo Grove |
Top 3 High Schools | Northview High School Johns Creek; Walton High School Marietta; Lambert High School Suwanee | Adlai E. Stevenson High School Lincolnshire; Naperville North High School Naperville; New Trier High School Winnetka |
Top 3 private high schools | The Westminster Schools Atlanta; Pace Academy Atlanta; The Lovett School Atlanta | Phillips Academy Andover; Lake Forest Academy Lake Forest; University of Chicago Lab School Chicago |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Atlanta International School Atlanta; Woodward Academy College Park; Pace Academy Atlanta | University of Chicago Lab School Chicago; Francis W. Parker School Chicago; Latin School of Chicago Chicago |
Top 3 School Districts | Forsyth County Schools Buford City Schools and Decatur City Schools | New Trier Township High School District 203 Naperville School District 203 and Community High School District 128 |
How Much Do Georgia to Illinois Movers Cost?
Moving 854 miles from Georgia to Illinois will typically cost between $2,500 and $6,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,500 - $6,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-7.5 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Atlanta Home Movers
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,687 | 300 ft3 | $5.62 |
1 Bedroom | $2,507 | 450 ft3 | $5.57 |
2 Bedrooms | $4,142 | 750 ft3 | $5.52 |
3 Bedrooms | $6,019 | 1100 ft3 | $5.47 |
4 Bedrooms | $8,675 | 1600 ft3 | $5.42 |
5+ Bedrooms | $9,670 | 1800 ft3 | $5.37 |
Top Georgia to Illinois Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Georgia to Illinois movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.
Moving Etc
Best moving company overall for Georgia to Illinois