Moving From Illinois to Florida: What I Tell Every Chicago Buyer
The taxes you stop paying, why property tax is the real headline for Illinois movers, what your Chicago-area money buys here, and the honest list of what costs more. Numbers from the Illinois Department of Revenue, the Census Bureau and the Miami MLS, not a listicle.
The one-paragraph version: an Illinois couple with $300,000 of taxable income stops paying about $14,850 a year in state income tax the day they become Florida residents, but for most of my Chicago clients the bigger number is property tax: Illinois's statewide average effective rate, 1.88%, is tied with New Jersey for the highest of any state, against Miami-Dade's 0.81%. Illinois also has its own estate tax, a $4 million exemption that is not portable between spouses, which Florida does not have at all. One honest note up front: this page covers the Atlantic side of Florida. Redfin's own search data shows plenty of Chicago house hunters headed to the Gulf Coast, North Port and Cape Coral, which I do not sell.
- $0Florida state income tax. IL couple at $300K taxable: about $14,850 a year saved.
- 1.88%Illinois's average property tax rate, tied for highest of any state. Miami-Dade runs 0.81%.
- $4MIllinois estate tax exemption, not portable between spouses. Florida: no estate tax, ever.
- ~3h07mNonstop flight, Chicago O'Hare to Miami.
Related guides: why people are moving to South Florida, the full Florida income tax breakdown, moving from Connecticut to Florida, moving from Massachusetts to Florida, and moving from New York to Miami.
The taxes you stop paying
Florida has no state income tax, no property tax anywhere near Cook County's level, and no estate tax. Illinois charges a flat 4.95% income tax, which is straightforward, but the property tax gap is what actually moves the needle for most of my Chicago-area clients, and Illinois has its own estate tax on top of that.
| Where you live | $150,000 | $300,000 | $500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $7,425 | $14,850 | $24,750 |
| Florida | $0 | $0 | $0 |
The math is simple because Illinois is a flat-rate state: $150,000 × 4.95% = $7,425; $300,000 × 4.95% = $14,850; $500,000 × 4.95% = $24,750. Illinois has had this same 4.95% rate since 2017, with no brackets, and no city or county, including Chicago, adds a local income tax on top of it. Florida charges $0 to everyone regardless of where they came from. The full worked table, a calculator and residency rules are on my Florida income tax page.
Illinois's estate tax is not portable between spouses
Illinois has a $4,000,000 estate tax exemption per individual, and unlike the federal exemption, it does not carry over to a surviving spouse. Above $4 million, Illinois applies a graduated rate reaching up to 16% on the entire estate once the threshold is crossed, and the executor has to file with the Illinois Attorney General's office within 9 months of death. Florida has never had an inheritance tax and has no estate tax at all, for any beneficiary or any estate size.
Where it goes wrong: the savings only exist once Illinois agrees you actually left. See the residency section below before you assume the Illinois side of the ledger is closed.
Property tax: the real headline for Illinois movers
| County | Median home value | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| Lake County, IL (north suburbs) | $345,700 | 2.26% |
| DuPage County, IL (west suburbs) | $391,400 | 1.89% |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | $324,500 | 1.73% |
| Broward County, FL | $414,600 | 0.96% |
| Miami-Dade County, FL | $463,000 | 0.81% |
Lake County's 2.26% is the highest effective county rate I have documented across any origin state on this site so far. On a $400,000 home, that is roughly $9,000 a year in Lake County versus roughly $3,200 in Miami-Dade at the same value, before either state's exemptions. Two Florida rules improve the real bill further for a primary residence: the homestead exemption removes up to $50,722 (2025) from your assessed value, and the Save Our Homes cap limits future increases to 3% a year or the CPI change, whichever is lower (2.9% for 2025) once you are homesteaded. The catch: as a new buyer you are assessed at your purchase price, not the seller's capped number, so never estimate your bill from the current listing sheet.
Cost of living: Chicago vs Miami
Chicago rent runs below Miami and Fort Lauderdale, which surprises a lot of my clients who expect the opposite. Gas is where Illinois runs noticeably higher.
| Unit | Chicago, IL | Miami | Fort Lauderdale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,792 | $2,265 | $2,115 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,461 | $2,450 | $2,454 |
| 2 bedroom | $3,321 | $2,995 | $3,073 |
| 3 bedroom | $3,759 | $3,741 | $4,123 |
| All-unit average | $2,529 | $2,773 | $2,861 |
Chicago's all-unit average rent actually runs about 9% below Miami's and 12% below Fort Lauderdale's, though a studio in Chicago is meaningfully cheaper than either while a 3-bedroom is close to a wash. Where Illinois costs more is at the pump: Illinois's AAA average, $4.83 a gallon, was the highest of any state I have documented on this site, driven partly by a 70.4 cent state gas tax, the second-highest in the country behind only California. Florida ran $4.33 on an AAA pull two days earlier. I could not confirm a current, dated Illinois-specific car insurance or home insurance premium in this pass; ask me for the current number if you want a side-by-side.
What your money buys
This is the number that turns "we've talked about it" into a showing trip.
| Market | Median sale price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago 9-county metro | $401,000 | Up 6.8% year over year |
| Cook County (Redfin) | $383,716 | Up 5.1% year over year |
| Miami-Dade single-family (Aug 2026) | $680,000 | Up 4% year over year |
| Miami-Dade condo / townhouse (Aug 2026) | $410,000 | Up 2.2% year over year |
| Broward single-family (Aug 2026) | $650,000 | Up 4% year over year |
| Broward condo (Aug 2026) | $257,500 | Up 3.96% year over year |
A Chicago-metro median buys a two-bedroom condo in Aventura or Sunny Isles Beach, or a solid starter home in Broward's Atlantic-side suburbs, with room to spare. Buyers who sold a North Shore or western-suburb property typically shop the $500,000 to $2,000,000 range here, landing on a waterfront condo in Aventura, a single-family home in Pompano Beach, or a home with a dock in Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood. The listings strip below pulls what is on the market right now in that range.
Where Chicago buyers actually land
Here is the discrepancy I want to be upfront about. MIAMI REALTORS reports Illinois as the 4th largest out-of-state buyer group in South Florida's 5-county luxury market in H1 2026, at a 5% share, with luxury price thresholds of $4.0 million for single-family homes and $2.8 million for condos among Illinois-origin buyers. But Redfin's own migration-search data tells a different story: Chicago is the #1 search-origin metro for both North Port, Florida and Cape Coral, Florida, both on the Gulf Coast, not South Florida. Those two sources are measuring different populations, closed buyers versus search interest, and I sell the Atlantic side. This guide is honestly about that side.
- Boats and yards
Fort Lauderdale
Waterfront homes with a dock, Las Olas, and direct O'Hare and Midway nonstops, one of the busiest city pairs on this whole page.
- Value + growing
Pompano Beach
Lower price per square foot than Fort Lauderdale, still on the water, with a fast-developing beach corridor.
- Country club
Boca Raton
Palm Beach County, gated communities and golf, about an hour north of Miami.
- Family + value
Hollywood
Between Fort Lauderdale and Aventura, a lower cost of entry with the Broadwalk beachfront and a real downtown.
- Building life
Aventura
Planned, quiet, waterfront condos and gated streets, Aventura Mall, a short drive to the beach.
- Building life
Sunny Isles Beach
The Collins Avenue towers: doorman, valet, gym, pool, beach service. My office is here.
The honest part
Homeowners insurance costs more
The latest finalized industry data (NAIC 2022, via the Insurance Information Institute) puts Florida's average homeowners premium at $2,677 a year, the highest in the country. I could not confirm a current, dated Illinois-specific premium to compare it against in this pass. Current Florida quotes run above that 2022 figure and vary enormously by property age, roof and distance from the water. Get a quote on the specific address before you make an offer; I can introduce you to the brokers my clients use.
Condo buildings have new rules since Surfside
After the 2021 Surfside collapse, Florida changed its condo law. Buildings three stories and taller now face mandatory milestone structural inspections as they age and must fully fund reserves for major components instead of voting to waive them. Older towers that deferred maintenance are passing special assessments now; newer, well-run buildings are stable. Before I let a Chicago buyer fall for a tower, I pull the milestone inspection status, the reserve study and any recent or pending special assessments.
Hurricanes
Season runs June through November. South Florida has taken eight hurricane landfalls since 2017: Irma (2017), Michael (2018), Ian and Nicole (2022), Idalia (2023), and Debby, Helene and Milton (2024), with zero landfalls in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2025. Modern towers built to the post-Andrew wind code, impact glass and elevated equipment handle it well; older single-family homes need shutters or impact windows and a roof the insurer likes. The day-to-day reality is more about August heat than storms, and it is a genuinely different set of risks than the winter weather you are leaving.
Are people still moving from Illinois to Florida?
Yes, more in dollar terms than from any of the other states I have covered on this site, though the overall stampede into Florida has slowed a lot since 2022.
- IRS tax-filer data, 2022 to 2023: 14,834 Illinois tax returns, covering 24,958 individuals and about $3.31 billion in adjusted gross income, moved to Florida, the largest AGI figure of any state in this comparison. Both states' own filings confirm the identical figure. Florida was Illinois's #1 out-of-state destination that year, ahead of Indiana, Texas and Wisconsin.
- Census Bureau, year ending June 30, 2025: Illinois's net domestic migration was −40,017, the largest net domestic-migration loss of any state in this comparison, while Florida's was +22,517, down sharply from Florida's +310,892 peak in 2022. International migration into Illinois, +44,752 for the same period, more than offset its domestic loss, so the state's total population still grew slightly.
What that means for a buyer: Illinois is one of the largest net exporters of residents to Florida in the country, but the bidding-war years here are over. Inventory has rebuilt and there is real negotiating room, especially on condos and anything that has sat more than 60 days.
Flights, residency and timeline
Getting back and forth
O'Hare (ORD) flies nonstop to Miami in about 3 hours 7 to 38 minutes on American and United, with weekly frequency cited anywhere from about 60 to 77 departures depending on the source and season, and nonstop to Fort Lauderdale in about 3 hours 12 minutes on American, JetBlue, United and Frontier, roughly 54 to 61 weekly departures. Midway (MDW) is Southwest's territory and the busiest city pair in this whole comparison: nonstop to Fort Lauderdale in under 3 hours, up to 3 times a day on weekends. Midway's Miami service is much thinner, just once a day.
Becoming a Florida resident, and stopping being an Illinois one
Illinois works differently from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey here: its own published guidance does not lay out a separate 183-day statutory-residency bright-line test. Illinois residency turns on domicile alone: you are an Illinois resident if you were domiciled there for the entire year, meaning the place you reside and intend to return to after a temporary absence. Illinois lists military duty, foreign residence, out-of-state study and seasonal out-of-state residence as temporary absences that do not break domicile. If you keep a Chicago-area home and split time between Illinois and Florida, do not assume a specific day count protects you the way it might elsewhere; the domicile-and-intent factors control instead. The practical checklist: a Florida driver's license and voter registration, a Florida homestead exemption filed on the new home, doctors and advisors moved, and the Illinois property sold or clearly secondary.
A realistic timeline
- Month 0: a video call with me on budget, towns and the tax picture; I send a first set of listings.
- Month 1: one trip down, two days, ten to fifteen showings across two or three areas.
- Months 1 to 2: offer, inspection, condo document review (milestone status, reserves, assessments), insurance quote, financing if any.
- Month 3: closing. Florida closings run 30 to 45 days from contract on a financed deal, faster for cash.
- After closing: homestead exemption filed with the county property appraiser (deadline March 1 of the following year), license, registration, the residency paper trail.
Not tax or legal advice. I am a real estate broker. The tax and residency figures on this page come from the state agencies and sources listed at the bottom; your own return depends on facts I cannot see. Confirm with a CPA before you act.
Live listings Chicago buyers are looking at
Current MLS listings between $500,000 and $2,000,000 in Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach and Hollywood, refreshed as you load this page.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I save on taxes moving from Illinois to Florida?
Illinois charges a flat 4.95% on net income, so a married couple filing jointly owes about $7,425 on $150,000 of taxable income, $14,850 on $300,000 and $24,750 on $500,000. Florida charges $0 in every case. The bigger gap for most Illinois movers is property tax, not income tax.
Is property tax higher in Illinois or Florida?
Illinois, by a wide margin, and this is usually the headline number for Chicago-area movers. Illinois's statewide average effective property tax rate is 1.88%, tied with New Jersey for the highest of any state, with Lake County running 2.26% and DuPage County 1.89%. Miami-Dade County runs about 0.81% and Broward County about 0.96%, per the Tax Foundation's 2024 data.
Does Illinois have an estate tax?
Yes. Illinois has a $4,000,000 per-individual estate tax exemption that is not portable between spouses, with graduated rates up to 16% on the entire estate once the threshold is crossed. Florida has no estate tax at all, for any estate size.
Where do Chicago buyers move to in South Florida?
This guide covers the Atlantic side: Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Boca Raton, Hollywood, Aventura and Sunny Isles Beach are where I see Chicago buyers land. Redfin's own migration-search data shows many Chicago house hunters searching for North Port and Cape Coral instead, both on the Gulf Coast, which is a different market than the one this page covers.
How long is the flight from Chicago to Miami or Fort Lauderdale?
About 3 hours nonstop from O'Hare (ORD): roughly 3 hours 7 to 38 minutes to Miami on American or United, and about 3 hours 12 minutes to Fort Lauderdale on American, JetBlue, United or Frontier. Midway (MDW) has the single busiest route in this comparison, Southwest's nonstop to Fort Lauderdale in under 3 hours, multiple times a day.
Thinking about the move? Let's talk it through.
Tell me your budget, which Chicago-area county you are in now and what you want your week to look like here. I will send you homes that fit, with the real property tax, insurance and association numbers for each one, and we can set up a two-day showing trip whenever you are ready.
Kevin Poler · Broker, The Poler Team · Optimar International Realty, 18246 Collins Ave, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160Sources
- Tax Foundation, Illinois state page (flat 4.95% rate, 1.88% property tax rate). taxfoundation.org.
- Illinois Department of Revenue, 2025 Form IL-1040 Instructions. tax.illinois.gov.
- Illinois Attorney General, Important Notice Regarding Illinois Estate Tax and Fact Sheet. illinoisattorneygeneral.gov.
- Illinois Department of Revenue Taxpayer Answer Center, "Who is an Illinois resident?" (domicile-only residency rule). tax.illinois.gov.
- Florida Constitution, Article VII, Section 5; Florida Department of Revenue homestead and Save Our Homes rules. miamidadepa.gov.
- Tax Foundation, Property Taxes by State and County (2024 ACS data). taxfoundation.org.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates (NST-EST2025-COMP). census.gov.
- IRS Statistics of Income, Migration Data 2022 to 2023, Illinois and Florida state files. irs.gov.
- MIAMI REALTORS + RWorld, "South Florida Luxury Home Market Reaches New Milestones," July 23, 2026. miamirealtors.com.
- Redfin, "19% of House Hunters Are Looking to Relocate," Q1 2026 migration report (Chicago search-origin data). redfin.com.
- Redfin, Cook County, IL Housing Market Update, August 2026. redfin.com.
- MIAMI Realtors, August 2026 monthly statistics (Miami-Dade and Broward medians). miamirealtors.com.
- RentCafe, Chicago, Miami and Fort Lauderdale average rent, dated 2026. rentcafe.com.
- Insurance Information Institute, homeowners insurance average premiums by state (NAIC 2022). iii.org.
- AAA, State Gas Price Averages, and Tax Foundation, Gas Taxes by State, accessed September 2026. gasprices.aaa.com.
- Flight times and frequencies: FlightsFrom.com (ORD-MIA, ORD-FLL) and Southwest schedule data (MDW-FLL, MDW-MIA), accessed September 2026.