Chicago vs Austin
A side-by-side comparison of Chicago, Illinois and Austin, Texas — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.
| Place |  ChicagoIllinois, United States |  AustinTexas, United States |
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
| State / region | Illinois | Texas |
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Coordinates | 41.837, -87.685 | 30.299, -97.754 |
| Elevation | 178 m | 149 m |
| Founded | — | 1835 |
| Nickname | — | City of the Violet Crown |
| Size | ||
| Population | 2,721,326 | 993,771 |
| Land area | 227.7 mi² | 326.4 mi² |
| Water area | 6.8 mi² | 6.6 mi² |
| Density (per mi²) | 11,949 | 3,045 |
| Housing units | 1,282,248 | 518,574 |
| Demographics | ||
| Median age | 35.9 | 34.8 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 36.5% | 53.6% |
| Black or African American | 26.3% | 7.8% |
| Asian | 7.8% | 10.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 30.2% | 32.1% |
| Economy & education | ||
| Median household income | $80,613 | $90,430 |
| Median home value | $341,200 | $571,000 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 46.4% | 60.7% |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 11.8% |
| Unemployment | 7.3% | 4.3% |
| Climate | ||
| Avg high temp | 59°F | 80°F |
| Avg low temp | 45°F | 61°F |
| Annual precipitation | 45.7 in | 49.8 in |
| Sunshine % of year | 55.0% | 69.0% |
| Annual solar (kWh/m²) | 1,403 | 1,756 |
| Air & environment | ||
| US AQI | 111 | 51 |
| Air quality category | Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 29.1 | 6.9 |
| PM10 (µg/m³) | 29.5 | 9.7 |
| Ozone (µg/m³) | 126.0 | 45.0 |
| NO₂ (µg/m³) | 4.7 | 2.3 |
| Wildlife species observed | 10 | 10 |
| Wildlife observations | 2,964,830 | 1,878,567 |
| Risk & hazards | ||
| Earthquakes (last 10y) | 6 | 2 |
| Largest earthquake (mag) | 3.8 | 2.9 |
| Active weather alerts | 1 | 1 |
| Health | ||
| Obesity | 32.9% | 30.5% |
| Diabetes | 12.4% | 9.7% |
| Smoking | 12.1% | 9.5% |
| Schools | ||
| Schools total | 711 | 212 |
| Elementary schools | 487 | 123 |
| Middle schools | 35 | 36 |
| High schools | 166 | 44 |
| Civic & interest | ||
| Mayor / leader | — | Kirk Watson |
| Official website | — | https://austintexas.gov |
| Sister cities | — | 10 |
| Notable people (Wikidata) | 16 | 16 |
| Books about this place | 8 | 8 |
| Wikipedia views (last 30d) | 8,015 | 79,294 |
| Overview | ||
| Summary | Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. The Chicago metropolitan area has approximately 9.62 million residents according to the 2020 census and is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country. Chicago is the county seat of Cook County, the second-most populous county in the U.S. Wikipedia | Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. With a population of 961,855 at the 2020 census, it is the 12th-most populous city in the U.S., fifth-most populous city in Texas, and second-most populous U.S. state capital, while the Austin metro area with an estimated 2.55 million residents is the 25th-largest metropolitan area in the nation. Austin is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it has been one of the fastest-growing large cities in the United States since 2010. Wikipedia |
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