Illinois vs Kentucky
Illinois comes out ahead of Kentucky on 443 of 796 statistics where one end is better, to 339 with 14 ties. Illinois leads on Facts & Trivia, Health and Culture and 8 more categories. Kentucky leads on Agriculture, Infrastructure & Energy and Travel and 2 more categories.
At a glance
Headline statistics, each ranked among all US states.
| Statistic | Illinois | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,735,249 6th of 51 | 4,629,682 25th of 51 |
| Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $83,390 18th of 51 | $63,726 47th of 51 |
| Unemployment Rate (%)Unemployment Rate by State (BLS) | 4.6% tied 40th of 51 | 4.6% tied 40th of 51 |
| Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | 11.8% 26th of 51 | 16.1% 47th of 51 |
| Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities) | 100.0 33rd of 51 | 90.2 12th of 51 |
| Real Personal Income per Person (2017 Dollars)Real Personal Income by State | $60,333 17th of 51 | $52,290 46th of 51 |
| Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by State (BLS) | $71,130 16th of 51 | $58,990 44th of 51 |
| Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $1,274 28th of 51 | $967 6th of 51 |
| Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI) | 251.0 21st of 51 | 212.1 9th of 51 |
| Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages) | 6,104 32nd of 48 | 4,396 16th of 48 |
By category
Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.
- AgricultureKentucky · 15 statistics
- Facts & TriviaIllinois · 18 statistics
- HealthIllinois · 183 statistics
- CultureIllinois · 79 statistics
- Tech & BusinessIllinois · 48 statistics
- EducationIllinois · 51 statistics
- PopulationIllinois · 121 statistics
- Infrastructure & EnergyKentucky · 35 statistics
- TravelKentucky · 29 statistics
- LawIllinois · 66 statistics
- EnvironmentIllinois · 40 statistics
- Crime & SafetyIllinois · 75 statistics
- EconomicsIllinois · 290 statistics
- GeographyKentucky · 25 statistics
- SportsIllinois · 17 statistics
- Politics & GovernmentKentucky · 126 statistics
Biggest differences
The 30 statistics where their rankings differ most, among rankings of at least 26 US states.
| Statistic | Illinois | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Binged Alcohol Past MonthDrug Use by State | 27.6% 49th of 51 | 20.3% 2nd of 51 |
| Emotional Physical Well Being RankSaddest States | 3rd 3rd of 50 | 49th 49th of 50 |
| Foreclosure RateForeclosure Rates by State | 762 1st of 51 | 4,389 47th of 51 |
| Hep A Related DeathsHepatitis by State | 1 tied 1st of 32 | 67 31st of 32 |
| Age-Adjusted Depression RateDepression Rates by State | 17.3% tied 5th of 49 | 27.6% 48th of 49 |
| LPC License FeeLPC Requirements by State | $60.00 7th of 46 | $1,500 46th of 46 |
| Gun Law Rank (Giffords)Gun Laws by State | 6th 6th of 50 | 48th 48th of 50 |
| Gun Laws Strength RankStrictest Gun Laws by State | 6th 6th of 50 | 48th 48th of 50 |
| Prevalence Of Depression 2021Most Depressed States | 17.0% tied 6th of 50 | 27.0% 49th of 50 |
| Crude Depression RateDepression Rates by State | 17.0% tied 6th of 49 | 27.0% 48th of 49 |
| Business CostsEntrepreneur-Friendly States | 4 tied 5th of 50 | 10 tied last of 50 |
| Opportunity and Competition RankBest State To Be a Police Officer | 4th 4th of 51 | 46th 46th of 51 |
| Overall Score (Higher is Better)Best State To Be a Police Officer | 60.38 2nd of 51 | 34.55 44th of 51 |
| Amphetamine Use Rate (Per 100k)Drug Use by State | 273.68 9th of 51 | 584.65 50th of 51 |
| Avg SalaryCorrectional Officer Salary by State | $65,190 8th of 51 | $34,830 49th of 51 |
| Entry Level SalaryCorrectional Officer Salary by State | $50,530 7th of 51 | $26,000 48th of 51 |
| Mean SalaryCorrectional Officer Salary by State | $66,430 8th of 49 | $40,830 47th of 49 |
| Average EarningsLawyer-Friendly States | $152,980 5th of 48 | $100,100 43rd of 48 |
| Avg Income of 99.9th–99.99th Percentile FamiliesIncome Inequality by State | $564,312 7th of 51 | $334,689 47th of 51 |
| Avg Income of 99th–99.5th Percentile FamiliesIncome Inequality by State | $564,312 7th of 51 | $334,689 47th of 51 |
| Female Life Expectancy (HALE)Life Expectancy by State | 66.59 yrs 10th of 51 | 62.03 yrs 50th of 51 |
| LLC Filing FeeLLC Cost by State | $500 50th of 51 | $55 10th of 51 |
| Total Happiness ScoreSaddest States | 58.59 8th of 50 | 38.36 47th of 50 |
| Family FunBest States to Raise a Family | 4th 4th of 50 | 43rd 43rd of 50 |
| Online Cost Of Sample TinChewing Tobacco Prices by State | $3.23 29th of 30 | $1.71 6th of 30 |
| Cardiovascular DiseaseHealthiest States | 8.3 tied 10th of 50 | 12.7 49th of 50 |
| Favorable Gun Laws RankBest States for Gun Owners | 43rd 43rd of 50 | 4th tied 4th of 50 |
| Electrician Median Hourly Wage 2023Electrician Salary by State | $45.72 1st of 51 | $27.47 40th of 51 |
| Electrician Median Yearly Wage 2023Electrician Salary by State | $95,090 1st of 51 | $57,140 40th of 51 |
| Avg Income of 99.5th–99.9th Percentile FamiliesIncome Inequality by State | $1.1M 9th of 51 | $616,790 48th of 51 |
Quick answers
- Which is better, Illinois or Kentucky?
- Illinois comes out ahead of Kentucky on 443 of 796 statistics where one end is better, to 339 with 14 ties. Illinois leads on Facts & Trivia, Health and Culture and 8 more categories. Kentucky leads on Agriculture, Infrastructure & Energy and Travel and 2 more categories. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
- Which has more people, Illinois or Kentucky?
- Illinois has a population of 12,735,249 (6th of 51 US states) and Kentucky has 4,629,682 (25th of 51).
- How do Illinois and Kentucky compare on Median Household Income?
- Median Household Income: Illinois $83,390 (18th of 51), Kentucky $63,726 (47th of 51) among US states. Illinois ranks better.
- How do Illinois and Kentucky compare on Poverty Rate (%)?
- Poverty Rate (%): Illinois 11.8% (26th of 51), Kentucky 16.1% (47th of 51) among US states. Illinois ranks better.
- Where does Illinois beat Kentucky most clearly?
- Illinois ranks far ahead on Emotional Physical Well Being Rank (Saddest States): 3rd vs 49th; Foreclosure Rate (Foreclosure Rates by State): 762 vs 4,389; Hep A Related Deaths (Hepatitis by State): 1 vs 67.
- Where does Kentucky beat Illinois most clearly?
- Kentucky ranks far ahead on Binged Alcohol Past Month (Drug Use by State): 20.3% vs 27.6%; LLC Filing Fee (LLC Cost by State): $55 vs $500; Online Cost Of Sample Tin (Chewing Tobacco Prices by State): $1.71 vs $3.23.
More matchups
Other comparisons with Illinois or Kentucky.
- Alabama vs Illinois
- Alaska vs Illinois
- Arizona vs Illinois
- Arkansas vs Illinois
- California vs Illinois
- Colorado vs Illinois
- Connecticut vs Illinois
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- Alabama vs Kentucky
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- Arizona vs Kentucky
- Arkansas vs Kentucky
- California vs Kentucky
- Colorado vs Kentucky
- Connecticut vs Kentucky
- Delaware vs Kentucky