CostIndexUSA

Aurora, IL vs Bellingham, WA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostIL
Aurora
103.6
overall index
$2,100/mo rent
WA
Bellingham
103.3
overall index
$1,875/mo rent

Aurora and Bellingham have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+0.8%
Aurora
112
Bellingham
112.9
🛒 Groceries2.1%
Aurora
107.3
Bellingham
105
🚗 Transportation1.0%
Aurora
105.5
Bellingham
104.4
🏥 Healthcare1.0%
Aurora
95.5
Bellingham
94.5
Utilities+19.5%
Aurora
83.6
Bellingham
99.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Aurora to see what you'd need to earn in Bellingham to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Bellingham, WA
$79,800
$200 less needed in Bellingham

Formula: salary × (103.3 ÷ 103.6) = salary × 0.9971. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Aurora, IL

Median Home Price
$334,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,100
Housing Index
112
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.3×

Bellingham, WA

Median Home Price
$598,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,875
Housing Index
112.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
26.6×

Bellingham has 0.8% higher housing costs compared to Aurora.

Income & Job Market

Aurora, IL

Median Household Income
$87,100
Per Capita Income
$49,600
Unemployment Rate
4.9%
Population
197,899
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareRetailTechnologyFinance

Bellingham, WA

Median Household Income
$74,900
Per Capita Income
$42,700
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Population
92,314
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyManufacturingTourism

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Aurora, IL
3.5×income-to-rent ratio

71% of income left after rent (median)

Bellingham, WA
3.3×income-to-rent ratio

70% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.