Thornton, IL vs Windham, OH: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Windham, OH has a modeled overall cost index 19.5% lower than Thornton, IL.

Thornton, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,480 / month
Windham, OH · modeled 2BR rent: $1,270 / 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 Thornton, IL and Windham, OH 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 Thornton, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,443/month in Windham, OH

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $132,683 in Windham, OH

Regional cost estimates: Thornton, IL uses Chicago, IL. Windham, OH uses Cleveland, OH. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 19.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,443

Savings

Annual Impact

$17.3K

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.

Thornton, IL

Population:2K

Cost Index:

91.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$170K

Windham, OH

Population:2K

Cost Index:

74.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$178K

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Thornton, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Windham, OH

The Buckeye State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Ohio, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Thornton, IL vs Windham, OH

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	Thornton, IL	Windham, OH	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,429/mo	$1,398/mo	↓ $1,030less	42.4%
Transportation	$1,479/mo	$1,276/mo	↓ $203less	13.7%
Other	$1,547/mo	$1,454/mo	↓ $92.47less	6.0%
Healthcare	$568/mo	$518/mo	↓ $49.82less	8.8%
All Utilities	$496/mo	$457/mo	↓ $38.72less	7.8%
Groceries	$982/mo	$953/mo	↓ $29.19less	3.0%

Housing

↓ 42.4%

Thornton, IL

$2,429

Windham, OH

$1,398

Difference

$1,030

less

Transportation

↓ 13.7%

Thornton, IL

$1,479

Windham, OH

$1,276

Difference

$203

less

Other

↓ 6.0%

Thornton, IL

$1,547

Windham, OH

$1,454

Difference

$92.47

less

Healthcare

↓ 8.8%

Thornton, IL

$568

Windham, OH

$518

Difference

$49.82

less

All Utilities

↓ 7.8%

Thornton, IL

$496

Windham, OH

$457

Difference

$38.72

less

Groceries

↓ 3.0%

Thornton, IL

$982

Windham, OH

$953

Difference

$29.19

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,230

To$910

↓ $320

1 Bed

From$1,310

To$990

↓ $320

2 Bed

From$1,480

To$1,270

↓ $210

3 Bed

From$1,910

To$1,550

↓ $360

Thornton, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,310–$1,310/mo

Windham, OHZIP-level data

1BR range: $990–$990/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 Thornton, IL

$6,057

Monthly in Windham, OH

$1,443

Difference

Home Values

Thornton

Windham

$170K

Median Value

$178K

↑ +1.2%

YoY Change

↑ +0.3%

↑ +36.3%

5-Year Change

↑ +36%

Homes in Windham are 5% more expensive than Thornton

Calculate payment - Thornton Calculate payment - Windham

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $3.0K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$250

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.0%

Rate difference

Thornton, 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

Windham, OH

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Ohio State Tax

Effective: 3.0%

$4.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.6%

$41.4K

Take-Home Pay

$9,047/month

$108.6K

Additional Tax Information

Thornton, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Windham, OH Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:1.6%

💡 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

Thornton

Windham

54 Moderate

Air Quality

54 Moderate

35.8%

Good Air Days

37.2%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

Before moving from Thornton, IL to Windham, OH

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Windham, OH for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Thornton, 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 Thornton to Windham moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Windham, OH by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Thornton, IL vs Windham, OH

How do the cost estimates for Thornton, IL and Windham, OH compare?

Windham, OH has a modeled overall cost index 19.5% lower than Thornton, 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 Thornton, IL, the model estimates $132,683 in Windham, OH. 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 Thornton, IL and Windham, OH?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,480/month in Thornton, IL and $1,270/month in Windham, OH. 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 Ohio on TaxTakeHome.com