$60,000 in Illinois
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for Illinois.
Occupations near $60,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $60,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | mid-career | $61,550 |
| Electrician | mid-career | $62,350 |
| Firefighter | mid-career | $57,120 |
| Elementary teacher | mid-career | $63,680 |
| Customer service rep | senior | $56,000 |
| Office clerk | senior | $56,000 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $60,000 typically means a plumber or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Illinois.
Two earners at $30,000 each combined = $60,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $60,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in Illinois
At $60,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 25% of income — inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $60,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $60,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $161,888. Illinois median home value is $250,400 — you can afford 65% of the median home, so buying requires lower-priced markets, a larger down payment, or co-buying.
How $60,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in Illinois's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois (current) | $81,702 | -27% | 39th |
| Kentucky | $64,452 | -7% | 47th |
| Missouri | $68,545 | -12% | 45th |
| Indiana | $70,051 | -14% | 44th |
| Iowa | $73,147 | -18% | 43th |
| Wisconsin | $76,058 | -21% | 42th |
$60,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Illinois
Common questions
- Is $60,000 a good household income in Illinois?
- It's at roughly the 39th percentile for Illinois after adjusting for the state's median income ($81,702). Nationally that's about the 40th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $60,000 compare to the Illinois median?
- It's 27% below the Illinois median household income of $81,702 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of Illinois households earn less than $81,702, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.