Loves Park, IL vs Junction City, KS: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Junction City, KS has a modeled overall cost index 15.2% lower than Loves Park, IL.

Loves Park, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,240 / month
Junction City, KS · modeled 2BR rent: $1,050 / 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 Loves Park, IL and Junction City, KS 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 Loves Park, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,096/month in Junction City, KS

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $136,848 in Junction City, KS

Regional cost estimates: Loves Park, IL uses Madison, WI. Junction City, KS uses Wichita, KS. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 15.2%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,096

Savings

Annual Impact

$13.2K

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.

Loves Park, IL

Population:23K

Cost Index:

97.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$192K

Junction City, KS

Population:22K

Cost Index:

82.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$201K

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Loves Park, IL

The Prairie State

23K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 23K residents.

Junction City, KS

The Sunflower State

22K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kansas, this city has a population of 22K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Loves Park, IL vs Junction City, KS

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	Loves Park, IL	Junction City, KS	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,340/mo	$1,624/mo	↓ $716less	30.6%
Transportation	$1,328/mo	$1,175/mo	↓ $153less	11.5%
Healthcare	$704/mo	$580/mo	↓ $123less	17.5%
Other	$1,691/mo	$1,604/mo	↓ $86.61less	5.1%
Groceries	$939/mo	$886/mo	↓ $52.99less	5.6%
All Utilities	$498/mo	$534/mo	↑ $36.08more	7.3%

Housing

↓ 30.6%

Loves Park, IL

$2,340

Junction City, KS

$1,624

Difference

$716

less

Transportation

↓ 11.5%

Loves Park, IL

$1,328

Junction City, KS

$1,175

Difference

$153

less

Healthcare

↓ 17.5%

Loves Park, IL

$704

Junction City, KS

$580

Difference

$123

less

Other

↓ 5.1%

Loves Park, IL

$1,691

Junction City, KS

$1,604

Difference

$86.61

less

Groceries

↓ 5.6%

Loves Park, IL

$939

Junction City, KS

$886

Difference

$52.99

less

All Utilities

↑ 7.3%

Loves Park, IL

$498

Junction City, KS

$534

Difference

$36.08

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$850

To$840

↓ $10.00

1 Bed

From$950

To$850

↓ $100

2 Bed

From$1,240

To$1,050

↓ $190

3 Bed

From$1,640

To$1,460

↓ $180

Loves Park, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $950–$950/mo

Junction City, KSZIP-level data

1BR range: $850–$850/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 Loves Park, IL

$6,404

Monthly in Junction City, KS

$1,096

Difference

Home Values

Loves Park

Junction City

$192K

Median Value

$201K

↑ +7.4%

YoY Change

↑ +7.6%

↑ +54.4%

5-Year Change

↑ +35.4%

Homes in Junction City are 5% more expensive than Loves Park

Calculate payment - Loves Park Calculate payment - Junction City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $993

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$82.75

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.7%

Rate difference

Loves Park, 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

Junction City, KS

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Kansas State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,714/month

$104.6K

Additional Tax Information

Loves Park, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Junction City, KS Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.7%

Property Tax:1.3%

💡 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

Loves Park

Junction City

42 Good

Air Quality

43 Good

72.1%

Good Air Days

75.1%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

61 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

61 days

Before moving from Loves Park, IL to Junction City, KS

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Junction City, KS for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Loves Park, 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 Loves Park to Junction City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Junction City, KS by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Loves Park, IL vs Junction City, KS

How do the cost estimates for Loves Park, IL and Junction City, KS compare?

Junction City, KS has a modeled overall cost index 15.2% lower than Loves Park, 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 Loves Park, IL, the model estimates $136,848 in Junction City, KS. 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 Loves Park, IL and Junction City, KS?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,240/month in Loves Park, IL and $1,050/month in Junction City, KS. 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 Kansas on TaxTakeHome.com