Harwood Heights, IL vs Hales Corners, WI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Hales Corners, WI has a modeled overall cost index 12.8% lower than Harwood Heights, IL.

Harwood Heights, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,750 / month
Hales Corners, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,630 / 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 Harwood Heights, IL and Hales Corners, WI 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 Harwood Heights, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,059/month in Hales Corners, WI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $137,293 in Hales Corners, WI

Regional cost estimates: Harwood Heights, IL uses Chicago, IL. Hales Corners, WI uses Milwaukee, WI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 12.8%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,059

Savings

Annual Impact

$12.7K

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.

Harwood Heights, IL

Population:9K

Cost Index:

94.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$359K

Hales Corners, WI

Population:8K

Cost Index:

82.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$379K

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Harwood Heights, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 9K residents.

Hales Corners, WI

The Badger State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 8K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Harwood Heights, IL vs Hales Corners, WI

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	Harwood Heights, IL	Hales Corners, WI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,438/mo	$1,583/mo	↓ $855less	35.1%
Transportation	$1,484/mo	$1,287/mo	↓ $197less	13.3%
Healthcare	$562/mo	$691/mo	↑ $129more	22.9%
Other	$1,553/mo	$1,470/mo	↓ $82.99less	5.3%
Groceries	$972/mo	$922/mo	↓ $50.22less	5.2%
All Utilities	$490/mo	$488/mo	↓ $1.92less	0.4%

Housing

↓ 35.1%

Harwood Heights, IL

$2,438

Hales Corners, WI

$1,583

Difference

$855

less

Transportation

↓ 13.3%

Harwood Heights, IL

$1,484

Hales Corners, WI

$1,287

Difference

$197

less

Healthcare

↑ 22.9%

Harwood Heights, IL

$562

Hales Corners, WI

$691

Difference

$129

Other

↓ 5.3%

Harwood Heights, IL

$1,553

Hales Corners, WI

$1,470

Difference

$82.99

less

Groceries

↓ 5.2%

Harwood Heights, IL

$972

Hales Corners, WI

$922

Difference

$50.22

less

All Utilities

↓ 0.4%

Harwood Heights, IL

$490

Hales Corners, WI

$488

Difference

$1.92

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,450

To$1,250

↓ $200

1 Bed

From$1,550

To$1,360

↓ $190

2 Bed

From$1,750

To$1,630

↓ $120

3 Bed

From$2,250

To$2,010

↓ $240

Harwood Heights, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,550–$1,550/mo

Hales Corners, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,360–$1,360/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 Harwood Heights, IL

$6,441

Monthly in Hales Corners, WI

$1,059

Difference

Home Values

Harwood Heights

Hales Corners

$359K

Median Value

$379K

↑ +8.5%

YoY Change

↑ +7.5%

↑ +34.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +37.6%

Homes in Hales Corners are 6% more expensive than Harwood Heights

Calculate payment - Harwood Heights Calculate payment - Hales Corners

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.4K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$119

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.9%

Rate difference

Harwood Heights, 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

Hales Corners, WI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Wisconsin State Tax

Effective: 5.9%

$8.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.6%

$45.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,678/month

$104.1K

Additional Tax Information

Harwood Heights, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Hales Corners, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

💡 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

Harwood Heights

Hales Corners

54 Moderate

Air Quality

43 Good

35.8%

Good Air Days

68.6%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

Before moving from Harwood Heights, IL to Hales Corners, WI

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Hales Corners, WI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Harwood Heights, 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 Harwood Heights to Hales Corners moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Hales Corners, WI by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Harwood Heights, IL vs Hales Corners, WI

How do the cost estimates for Harwood Heights, IL and Hales Corners, WI compare?

Hales Corners, WI has a modeled overall cost index 12.8% lower than Harwood Heights, 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 Harwood Heights, IL, the model estimates $137,293 in Hales Corners, WI. 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 Harwood Heights, IL and Hales Corners, WI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,750/month in Harwood Heights, IL and $1,630/month in Hales Corners, WI. 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.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Illinois and Wisconsin on TaxTakeHome.com