Movers

Mississippi to Illinois Moving Guide

Updated June 11, 2025

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Planning a 655 mile interstate move from Mississippi to Illinois? This moving guide will help you compare living in Mississippi vs Illinois across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high humidity vs mild summers), food & health (like Catfish vs Chicago-style deep dish pizza), real estate & housing (colonial revival vs prairie school), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Illinois), politics & religion, and education.

Key Takeaways:

  • Say goodbye to Catfish and Barbecue ribs, but get your taste buds ready for Chicago-style deep dish pizza & Italian Beef
  • Illinois housing costs are 44% more expensive than they are in Mississippi
  • Rent in Illinois is 27.89% more expensive than in Mississippi
  • Moving from Mississippi to Illinois will cost on average between $1,500 - $5,500
  • Our top recommended Mississippi to Illinois movers is 606 Movers, Inc.

Mississippi to Illinois Moving Guide

Pros and Cons of Moving from Mississippi to Illinois

ConsMississippi iconMississippi
  • High humidity
  • Limited job market
  • Fewer cultural events
  • Poor public transit
  • Hurricane risk
ProsIllinois iconIllinois
  • Mild summers
  • Diverse job opportunities
  • Vibrant cultural scene
  • Efficient transportation
  • Less risk of hurricanes

Illinois iconIllinois
  • Harsh winters
  • Higher cost of living
  • Faster-paced lifestyle
  • More transient populations
  • Fewer historical landmarks
Mississippi iconMississippi
  • Warm winters
  • Lower cost of living
  • Slow-paced lifestyle
  • Close-knit communities
  • Rich historical sites

Pros of moving from Mississippi to Illinois

  • Say goodbye to high humidity and hello to mild summers
  • Look forward to moving away from a limited job market and moving to Illinois with diverse job opportunities
  • Swap the fewer cultural events of Mississippi for a vibrant cultural scene in Illinois
  • Get ready for efficient transportation in Illinois

Cons of moving from Mississippi to Illinois

  • Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from warm winters in Mississippi to live with harsh winters in Illinois
  • You'll lose out on the pro of a lower cost of living and have to settle for the con of a higher cost of living
  • Time to bid farewell to a slow-paced lifestyle and get used to a faster-paced lifestyle in Illinois
  • Swap close-knit communities for more transient populations

Mississippi vs. Illinois: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene

ComparisonMississippiIllinois
Most iconic local food itemCatfishChicago-style deep dish pizza
Most popular meat dishBarbecue ribsItalian Beef
Most popular street food itemTamalesHot Dogs
Most popular vegan foodOkra stewVegan deep dish pizza
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state
  • Doe's Eat Place
  • City Grocery
  • The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint
  • Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
  • Alinea
  • Portillo's
Fitness/Health ConscientiousnessπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺπŸ’ͺ
Abundance of Food Trucks🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚
Foodie Scene🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴
Vegan Friendly🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

If you're moving from Mississippi to Illinois, you will be trading the iconic Catfish of Mississippi for the equally delicious Chicago-style deep dish pizza of Illinois. And while the locals in Mississippi rave about their flavorful Barbecue ribs and sumptuous Tamales, Illinois residents know they have tasty Italian Beef and Hot Dogs to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Okra stew they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Vegan deep dish pizza of Illinois. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Mississippi eateries like Doe's Eat Place, City Grocery, and The Shed BBQ and Blues Joint. 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, Alinea, and Portillo's.

When comparing lifestyles, Illinois shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Mississippi. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Illinois compared to what you are used to in Mississippi. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Illinois.

Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Mississippi and Illinois

ComparisonMississippiIllinois
Typical Architecture StyleColonial RevivalPrairie School
WalkabilityπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘ŸπŸ‘Ÿ
Bikeability🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲
Urban LifestyleπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈπŸ›οΈ
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listingLarge Yards, Quiet StreetsProximity to Chicago, Modern Amenities
  • The Colonial Revival architecture that Mississippi is known for will be replaced with the Prairie School architecture typical of Illinois.
  • Compared to Mississippi's real estate listings that commonly reference large yards and quiet streets, Illinois real estate listings often highlight features like proximity to Chicago and modern amenities.
  • Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Illinois is more walkable than Mississippi.
  • Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Illinois is more bike-friendly than Mississippi.
  • Illinois has more of an urban feel than Mississippi.
  • Illinois housing costs are 44% more expensive than they are in Mississippi, with a median home price of $257,738 compared to Mississippi’s $178,490.
  • Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Illinois have increased by 35% compared to a 31% increase in Mississippi.
  • Rent in Illinois is 27.89% more expensive than in Mississippi.

Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Mississippi and Illinois

ComparisonMississippiIllinois
Days of Sunshine per Yearβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈβ˜€οΈ
Avg. Annual HumidityπŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦πŸ’¦
Avg. UV IndexπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈπŸ•ΆοΈ
Natural DisastersHurricanes, TornadoesTornadoes, Severe Winter Weather
Air QualityGoodModerate
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F)91Β°F / 70Β°F85Β°F / 65Β°F
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F)55Β°F / 34Β°F35Β°F / 20Β°F
Annual Rainfall (Inches)59 inches39 inches
Annual Snowfall (Inches)1 inch22 inches
  • The shades won't be used as much for your move from Mississippi to Illinois. Illinois gets 10% fewer sunshine days than Mississippi.
  • Illinois has lower humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Mississippi.
  • Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and tornadoes in Mississippi, but be on the lookout for potential tornadoes and severe winter weather in Illinois.
  • Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in Illinois is 6 degrees colder than in Mississippi.
  • The average winter lows are 14 degrees colder than they are in Mississippi.
  • Your umbrella might be neglected in Illinois. Illinois receives 20 fewer inches of rain compared to Mississippi.

Financial & Community Snapshot: Mississippi and Illinois

ComparisonMississippiIllinois
Avg. Household Income$52,719$76,708
Cost of Living Index92.194.25
State Income Tax4%4.95%
Avg. Property Tax0.80%2.31%
Avg. Sales Tax7%8.82%
Top 3 IndustriesAgriculture, Manufacturing, RetailFinance, Manufacturing, Agriculture
AffluenceModestComfortable
PovertyHighAverage
HomelessnessLowModerate
  • When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Illinois tend to earn about 46% more than in Mississippi
  • The COLI in Illinois will be 2% higher than what you are used to living in Mississippi
  • The state income tax in IL is 4.95% compared to 4% in MS
  • The affluence in Illinois is comfortable compared to modest in Mississippi
  • The poverty level is average in Illinois compared to high in Mississippi
  • In terms of homelessness, it is low in Mississippi and moderate in Illinois

Political and Religious Climate in Mississippi vs. Illinois

ComparisonMississippiIllinois
Political Make-upConservative-leaningLiberal-leaning
Local PoliticsMore homogeneous with strong local community involvementDiverse with significant urban and rural policy differences
ReligionHighly religious, predominantly Protestant ChristianModerately religious, diverse religious landscape
  • Mississippi tends to lean conservative-leaning in its political climate
  • Illinois, on the other hand, is often described as liberal-leaning
  • Illinois' religious environment can be described as moderately religious with a diverse religious landscape
  • Mississippi's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as highly religious and predominantly Protestant Christian

Education Guide When Moving from Mississippi to Illinois

ComparisonMississippiIllinois
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3)University of Mississippi
Mississippi State University
University of Southern Mississippi
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Northwestern University
University of Chicago
Top 3 Elementary SchoolsMannsdale Upper Elementary (Madison)
Madison Station Elementary (Madison)
Oak Park Elementary (Ocean Springs)
Lincoln Elementary School (River Forest)
South Park Elementary School (Deerfield)
Willowbrook Elementary School (Glenview)
Top 3 Middle SchoolsNorthwest Rankin Middle School (Flowood)
Madison Middle School (Madison)
Gulfport Central Middle School (Gulfport)
Marie Murphy School (Wilmette)
McClure Junior High School (Western Springs)
Maple School (Northbrook)
Top 3 High SchoolsMississippi School for Mathematics and Science (Columbus)
Lewisburg High School (Olive Branch)
Ocean Springs High School (Ocean Springs)
Adlai E. Stevenson High School (Lincolnshire)
New Trier Township High School (Winnetka)
Northside College Prep (Chicago)
Top 3 private high schoolsJackson Preparatory School (Jackson)
Saint Andrew's Episcopal School (Ridgeland)
Madison-Ridgeland Academy (Madison)
University of Chicago Lab School (Chicago)
Francis W. Parker School (Chicago)
Lake Forest Academy (Lake Forest)
Top 3 private K-12 schoolsSt. Andrew's Episcopal School (Ridgeland)
Heritage Academy (Columbus)
Presbyterian Christian School (Hattiesburg)
Latin School of Chicago (Chicago)
Lake Forest Country Day School (Lake Forest)
Francis W. Parker School (Chicago)
Top 3 School DistrictsMadison County Schools
Oxford School District
Clinton Public School District
New Trier Township High School District 203
Naperville Community Unit School District 203
Community High School District 128

How Much Do Mississippi to Illinois Movers Cost?

Moving 655 miles from Mississippi to Illinois will typically cost between $2,500 and $5,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.

  • Expected Range: $2,500 - $5,500
  • Expected Time To Complete: 2-9 days
  • Most Affordable Recommended Movers: A1 Movers, Inc
HOME SIZEMOVING COSTVOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3)$/FT3
Studio$1,574300 ft3$5.25
1 Bedroom$2,338450 ft3$5.20
2 Bedrooms$3,860750 ft3$5.15
3 Bedrooms$5,6061100 ft3$5.10
4 Bedrooms$8,0741600 ft3$5.05
5+ Bedrooms$8,9931800 ft3$5.00

Top Mississippi to Illinois Movers

Read our in-depth analysis of the best Mississippi to Illinois movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

TOP PICK
606 Movers, Inc. featured image

606 Movers, Inc.

Best moving company overall for Mississippi to Illinois

9.37/10
ExceptionalView details
RUNNER-UP
Move-tastic! featured image

Move-tastic!

9.35/10
ExceptionalView details
ALSO GREAT
MoveMint - Pack & Move

MoveMint - Pack & Move

8.59/10
FabulousView details
Top Mississippi to Illinois Routes

Jackson to Illinois