

Illinois vs North Carolina
Illinois comes out ahead of North Carolina on 450 of 804 statistics where one end is better, to 337 with 17 ties. Illinois leads on Education, Tech & Business and Health and 5 more categories. North Carolina leads on Sports, Travel and Geography and 4 more categories.
804 statistics with a better end, compared
Each counts once for the place that ranks better; 17 ties. Totals that mostly track population are left out.
- Wins
- 450
- Avg. percentile
- 52
- Categories led
- 8
- Wins
- 337
- Avg. percentile
- 49
- Categories led
- 7
At a glance
Headline statistics, each ranked among all US states.
| Statistic | Illinois | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,735,249 6th of 51 | 11,343,875 9th of 51 |
| Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $83,390 18th of 51 | $72,388 38th of 51 |
| Unemployment Rate (%)Unemployment Rate by State (BLS) | 4.6% tied 40th of 51 | 3.8% tied 20th of 51 |
| Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | 11.8% 26th of 51 | 13.0% 35th of 51 |
| Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities) | 100.0 33rd of 51 | 94.3 21st of 51 |
| Real Personal Income per Person (2017 Dollars)Real Personal Income by State | $60,333 17th of 51 | $56,310 33rd of 51 |
| Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by State (BLS) | $71,130 16th of 51 | $64,290 29th of 51 |
| Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $1,274 28th of 51 | $1,228 25th of 51 |
| Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI) | 251.0 21st of 51 | 330.3 30th of 51 |
| Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages) | 6,104 32nd of 48 | 3,359 10th of 48 |
By category
Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.
- EducationIllinois · 51 statistics
- SportsNorth Carolina · 17 statistics
- TravelNorth Carolina · 28 statistics
- GeographyNorth Carolina · 25 statistics
- Tech & BusinessIllinois · 48 statistics
- HealthIllinois · 189 statistics
- Facts & TriviaIllinois · 18 statistics
- EconomicsIllinois · 294 statistics
- Infrastructure & EnergyNorth Carolina · 36 statistics
- EnvironmentIllinois · 40 statistics
- AgricultureNorth Carolina · 15 statistics
- LawNorth Carolina · 70 statistics
- Politics & GovernmentNorth Carolina · 127 statistics
- PopulationIllinois · 125 statistics
- CultureIllinois · 79 statistics
- Crime & SafetyEven · 74 statistics
Biggest differences
The 30 statistics where their rankings differ most, among rankings of at least 26 US states.
| Statistic | Illinois | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician Median Hourly Wage 2023Electrician Salary by State | $45.72 1st of 51 | $24.49 48th of 51 |
| Electrician Median Yearly Wage 2023Electrician Salary by State | $95,090 1st of 51 | $50,950 48th of 51 |
| MinimumCorporate Tax Rates by State | 9.5% 43rd of 44 | 2.25% 3rd of 44 |
| Electrician Mean Hourly Wage 2023Electrician Salary by State | $42.33 4th of 51 | $25.78 49th of 51 |
| Electrician Mean Yearly Wage 2023Electrician Salary by State | $88,040 4th of 51 | $53,610 49th of 51 |
| Overall Homelessness Help ScoreBest States to Be Homeless | 63.15 2nd of 50 | 35.06 45th of 50 |
| Accidents Per National Park (1-10)Best States for Camping | 9.99 tied 42nd of 49 | 6.62 3rd of 49 |
| K-12 Spending as % of Taxpayer IncomePer Pupil Spending by State | 4.19% 5th of 51 | 2.51% 47th of 51 |
| Estiamted Incidents per 100k PopSnake Bite Statistics by State | 0.35 9th of 48 | 18.79 48th of 48 |
| Crimes Per National Park (1-10)Best States for Camping | 9.96 45th of 49 | 6.94 6th of 49 |
| 90th Percentile WageTeacher Pay by State | $102,270 10th of 51 | $62,000 50th of 51 |
| % of Amphibian Species at RiskMost Biodiverse States | 2.6% 2nd of 31 | 22.6% 26th of 31 |
| Affordability RankBest States for Fishing | 3rd 3rd of 51 | 43rd 43rd of 51 |
| Maximum Annual SalaryIBEW Pay Scale by State | $125,220 8th of 51 | $67,660 47th of 51 |
| Excessive Drinking RateAlcohol Consumption by State | 21.2% 46th of 50 | 14.9% 8th of 50 |
| Laws and Regulations RankBest States to Homeschool | 8th tied 8th of 50 | 45th tied 45th of 50 |
| Police Officer Avg Annual SalaryPolice Officer Salary by State | $101,530 3rd of 50 | $58,030 41st of 50 |
| Rural Pavement RoughnessRoad Quality by State | 6% tied 39th of 50 | 1% tied 1st of 50 |
| Anxiety Rate Ages 0-14Mental Health Statistics by State | 2,777 per 100k 41st of 51 | 2,533 per 100k 3rd of 51 |
| Exp. Physical Violence in Lifetime - WomenDomestic Violence by State | 34.4% 6th of 51 | 47.7% 44th of 51 |
| Corruption Score (BestLife)Most Corrupt States | 3.36 49th of 50 | 70.82 12th of 50 |
| Fiscal Stability RankWorst States to Live in | 1st worst of 50 | 37th 13th best of 50 |
| Shelters and Housing Support RankBest States to Be Homeless | 2nd 2nd of 50 | 39th 39th of 50 |
| Yearly Salary 40 Hour Week MaxLIUNA Pay Scale by State | $100,300 1st of 50 | $42,480 38th of 50 |
| Best States for Living with a Disability - Total ScoreDisability Benefits by State | 54.45 12th of 51 | 42.21 49th of 51 |
| Economy RankWorst States to Live in | 9th 8th worst of 50 | 44th 7th best of 50 |
| Driving IncidentsWorst Drivers by State | 24.9 per 1k drivers 5th of 51 | 39.9 per 1k drivers 41st of 51 |
| 75th Percentile WageTeacher Pay by State | $82,260 12th of 51 | $59,250 48th of 51 |
| Accident RateWorst Drivers by State | 13.9 per 1k drivers 8th of 51 | 22.1 per 1k drivers 44th of 51 |
| Avg SalaryCorrectional Officer Salary by State | $65,190 8th of 51 | $38,710 44th of 51 |
Quick answers
- Which is better, Illinois or North Carolina?
- Illinois comes out ahead of North Carolina on 450 of 804 statistics where one end is better, to 337 with 17 ties. Illinois leads on Education, Tech & Business and Health and 5 more categories. North Carolina leads on Sports, Travel and Geography and 4 more categories. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
- Which has more people, Illinois or North Carolina?
- Illinois has a population of 12,735,249 (6th of 51 US states) and North Carolina has 11,343,875 (9th of 51).
- How do Illinois and North Carolina compare on Median Household Income?
- Median Household Income: Illinois $83,390 (18th of 51), North Carolina $72,388 (38th of 51) among US states. Illinois ranks better.
- How do Illinois and North Carolina compare on Unemployment Rate (%)?
- Unemployment Rate (%): Illinois 4.6% (tied 40th of 51), North Carolina 3.8% (tied 20th of 51) among US states. North Carolina ranks better.
- Where does Illinois beat North Carolina most clearly?
- Illinois ranks far ahead on Electrician Median Hourly Wage 2023 (Electrician Salary by State): $45.72 vs $24.49; Electrician Median Yearly Wage 2023 (Electrician Salary by State): $95,090 vs $50,950; Electrician Mean Hourly Wage 2023 (Electrician Salary by State): $42.33 vs $25.78.
- Where does North Carolina beat Illinois most clearly?
- North Carolina ranks far ahead on Minimum (Corporate Tax Rates by State): 2.25% vs 9.5%; Accidents Per National Park (1-10) (Best States for Camping): 6.62 vs 9.99; Crimes Per National Park (1-10) (Best States for Camping): 6.94 vs 9.96.
More matchups
Other comparisons with Illinois or North Carolina.
- Alabama vs Illinois
- Alaska vs Illinois
- Arizona vs Illinois
- Arkansas vs Illinois
- California vs Illinois
- Colorado vs Illinois
- Connecticut vs Illinois
- Delaware vs Illinois
- Alabama vs North Carolina
- Alaska vs North Carolina
- Arizona vs North Carolina
- Arkansas vs North Carolina
- California vs North Carolina
- Colorado vs North Carolina
- Connecticut vs North Carolina
- Delaware vs North Carolina