Cortland, IL vs Coal Valley, IL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Coal Valley, IL has a modeled overall cost index 8.9% lower than Cortland, IL.

Cortland, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,900 / month
Coal Valley, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,710 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Cortland, IL and Coal Valley, IL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Cortland, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $789/month in Coal Valley, IL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $140,530 in Coal Valley, IL

Regional cost estimates: Cortland, IL uses Chicago, IL. Coal Valley, IL uses Madison, WI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 8.9%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$789

Savings

Annual Impact

$9.5K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Cortland, IL

Population:4K

Cost Index:

90.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$282K

Coal Valley, IL

Population:4K

Cost Index:

82.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$261K

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Cortland, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 4K residents.

Coal Valley, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 4K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Cortland, IL vs Coal Valley, IL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Cortland, IL	Coal Valley, IL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,425/mo	$2,044/mo	↓ $381less	15.7%
Transportation	$1,476/mo	$1,160/mo	↓ $316less	21.4%
Healthcare	$570/mo	$667/mo	↑ $97.19more	17.0%
Groceries	$986/mo	$891/mo	↓ $95.82less	9.7%
Other	$1,545/mo	$1,477/mo	↓ $67.61less	4.4%
All Utilities	$497/mo	$472/mo	↓ $25.72less	5.2%

Housing

↓ 15.7%

Cortland, IL

$2,425

Coal Valley, IL

$2,044

Difference

$381

less

Transportation

↓ 21.4%

Cortland, IL

$1,476

Coal Valley, IL

$1,160

Difference

$316

less

Healthcare

↑ 17.0%

Cortland, IL

$570

Coal Valley, IL

$667

Difference

$97.19

Groceries

↓ 9.7%

Cortland, IL

$986

Coal Valley, IL

$891

Difference

$95.82

less

Other

↓ 4.4%

Cortland, IL

$1,545

Coal Valley, IL

$1,477

Difference

$67.61

less

All Utilities

↓ 5.2%

Cortland, IL

$497

Coal Valley, IL

$472

Difference

$25.72

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,310

To$1,220

↓ $90.00

1 Bed

From$1,450

To$1,390

↓ $60.00

2 Bed

From$1,900

To$1,710

↓ $190

3 Bed

From$2,530

To$2,240

↓ $290

Cortland, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,450–$1,450/mo

Coal Valley, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,390–$1,390/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Cortland, IL

$6,711

Monthly in Coal Valley, IL

$789

Difference

Home Values

Cortland

Coal Valley

$282K

Median Value

$261K

↑ +7.1%

YoY Change

↑ +4.5%

↑ +57.4%

5-Year Change

↑ +29.9%

Homes in Coal Valley are 7% less expensive than Cortland

Calculate payment - Cortland Calculate payment - Coal Valley

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Cortland, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Coal Valley, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Additional Tax Information

Cortland, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Coal Valley, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Cortland

Coal Valley

54 Moderate

Air Quality

42 Good

35.8%

Good Air Days

72.1%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

Before moving from Cortland, IL to Coal Valley, IL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Coal Valley, IL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Cortland, IL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Cortland to Coal Valley moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Coal Valley, IL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Cortland, IL vs Coal Valley, IL

How do the cost estimates for Cortland, IL and Coal Valley, IL compare?

Coal Valley, IL has a modeled overall cost index 8.9% lower than Cortland, IL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Cortland, IL, the model estimates $140,530 in Coal Valley, IL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Cortland, IL and Coal Valley, IL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,900/month in Cortland, IL and $1,710/month in Coal Valley, IL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.