Colorado vs Illinois Taxes: Take-Home Pay Compared (2026)
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps $976 more a year in Colorado than in Illinois ($81 a month).
Colorado
4.4% flat state income tax
$59,000
take-home on $75,000 · $4,917/month
27th of 51 states for take-home pay
Colorado paycheck calculator ›Illinois
4.95% flat state income tax
$58,024
take-home on $75,000 · $4,835/month
46th of 51 states for take-home pay
Illinois paycheck calculator ›Take-home pay in Colorado and Illinois by salary
| Salary | Colorado | Illinois | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $33,268 | $32,485 | $783 more in Colorado |
| $50,000 | $40,863 | $40,025 | $838 more in Colorado |
| $60,000 | $48,458 | $47,565 | $893 more in Colorado |
| $75,000 | $59,000 | $58,024 | $976 more in Colorado |
| $100,000 | $75,488 | $74,375 | $1,113 more in Colorado |
| $125,000 | $91,911 | $90,661 | $1,251 more in Colorado |
| $150,000 | $107,899 | $106,511 | $1,388 more in Colorado |
| $200,000 | $140,835 | $139,172 | $1,663 more in Colorado |
Single filer, standard deduction, no local tax. To match $75,000 in Colorado you would need about $76,500 in Illinois; to match $75,000 in Illinois you would need about $73,500 in Colorado.
How Colorado and Illinois tax wages
| 2026 | Colorado | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | a flat 4.4% income tax | a flat 4.95% income tax |
| Top rate | 4.4% | 4.95% |
| Standard deduction | Federal ($16,100 single) | None (exemptions or credits only) |
| State tax on $75k | $2,592 (3.5%) | $3,568 (4.8%) |
| Local wage taxes | Yes (4 modeled) | No |
| Reciprocity | None | Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Wisconsin |
Moving between Colorado and Illinois
Moving from Colorado to Illinois
Moving to Illinois from any neighbor raises state tax for a middle-income worker: $1,385 a year compared with Indiana and $624 compared with Wisconsin at $75,000. There is no city income tax, though Chicago's sales and property taxes are high. File an IL-W-4 with your employer and a part-year Illinois return for the year you arrive.
Moving from Illinois to Colorado
Moving to Colorado from Wyoming adds $2,592 of state tax at $75,000, and from Arizona $1,119. Coming from Kansas you keep $793 more, and from Utah $511 more. Colorado has no city income taxes, but a job in Denver, Aurora, Glendale, Sheridan, or Greenwood Village adds a small monthly OPT. Budget for the FAMLI premium on each paycheck, and file Form DR 0004 if the W-4 default would leave you under-withheld.
Colorado paychecks in brief
Colorado taxes income at a flat 4.4%, and it starts from your federal taxable income, so the federal $16,100 standard deduction carries straight onto the state return. A single filer earning $75,000 owes $2,592 to Colorado and takes home $59,000 a year, or $2,269 every two weeks. A few Denver-area cities add a small flat occupational privilege tax instead of an income tax: $5.75 a month in Denver. Read the Colorado guide.
Illinois paychecks in brief
Illinois taxes wages at a flat 4.95% with no standard deduction, only a $2,925 personal exemption for each filer. That makes the effective rate high even for modest earners. A single filer earning $75,000 owes $3,568 to Illinois and keeps $58,024 a year, or $2,232 every two weeks. No Illinois city, including Chicago, taxes wages, and residents of Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin who work in Illinois pay only their home state. Read the Illinois guide.
Colorado vs Illinois: FAQ
Does Colorado or Illinois have lower income taxes in 2026?
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps $976 more a year in Colorado than in Illinois ($81 a month). Colorado has a flat 4.4% income tax for 2026. Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax for 2026.
What salary in Illinois equals $75,000 in Colorado?
To take home the same $59,000 that $75,000 leaves in Colorado, you would need about $76,500 in Illinois, based on income, payroll, and state taxes only. Housing and other living costs are not included.
How much more do high earners keep in Colorado than in Illinois?
At $150,000 the gap is $1,388 a year: $107,899 in Colorado versus $106,511 in Illinois. With flat or no state tax, the gap grows roughly in line with salary.
What if I live in Colorado and work in Illinois?
Colorado and Illinois do not have a reciprocity agreement, so Illinois withholds tax on wages earned there and Colorado generally gives residents a credit for tax paid to the other state. You effectively pay the higher of the two rates.
Do local taxes change the Colorado vs Illinois comparison?
Colorado has local wage taxes in places like Denver ($5.75/month), Greenwood Village ($2/month), Sheridan ($3/month). Those are on top of the statewide figures above, so check the city calculators if you live or work in one of them.