City comparison
Yes. Chicago's crime index is 167 versus 350 in New Orleans, and its violent crime index is 139 versus 393, using 2024-2025 FBI data for Chicago and 2023 FBI data for New Orleans.
New Orleans is cheaper. Median rent is $1,251 a month versus $1,440 in Chicago.
Safety is where Chicago and New Orleans split most clearly. Chicago scores 183 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,440 in Chicago and $1,251 in New Orleans.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. New Orleans costs less and Chicago pays more: the right call depends on whether you are optimizing for take-home pay or monthly burn rate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.
The crime gap is citywide. Chicago has rougher pockets and New Orleans has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Chicago and New Orleans are 833 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,440 a month in Chicago to $1,251 a month in New Orleans, down $189 a month (13%).
Median household income goes from $77,902 in Chicago to $56,631 in New Orleans, down $21,271 (27%).
The crime index goes from 167 in Chicago to 350 in New Orleans, up 183 points (110%).
The move
New Orleans and Chicago are 833 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,251 a month in New Orleans to $1,440 a month in Chicago, up $189 a month (15%).
Median household income goes from $56,631 in New Orleans to $77,902 in Chicago, up $21,271 (38%).
The crime index goes from 350 in New Orleans to 167 in Chicago, down 183 points (52%).
Chicago, IL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
New Orleans, LA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Chicago and New Orleans? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
13% cheaper
New Orleans rent is 13% cheaper than Chicago
Chicago
$1,440/mo
New Orleans
Winner$1,251/mo
Typical rent runs $1,251 a month in New Orleans versus $1,440 in Chicago, so New Orleans is 13% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,268, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. New Orleans still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Chicago.
Planning to buy in New Orleans? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
38% higher
Chicago's median income is 38% higher than New Orleans
Chicago
Winner$77,902
New Orleans
$56,631
Median household income is $77,902 in Chicago versus $56,631 in New Orleans, so typical pay runs 38% higher in Chicago (about $21,271 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Chicago is the stronger labor market on paper. New Orleans can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
52% lower crime
Chicago's crime index is 52% lower than New Orleans
Chicago
Winner167 (100 = avg)
New Orleans
350 (100 = avg)
Chicago's crime index is 167 versus 350 in New Orleans (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 52% lower in Chicago. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Chicago is the easier city. New Orleans can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
52% more comfortable
New Orleans weather is 52% more comfortable than Chicago
Chicago
53°F avg · 60°F highs · comfort 66/100
New Orleans
Winner73°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Chicago averages about 53°F (60°F highs); New Orleans averages about 73°F (81°F highs). Chicago averages around 53°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. New Orleans sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. New Orleans scores 52% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Chicago if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Chicago is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 38% higher here ($77,902). Start with Chicago if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Chicago is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 52% lower than New Orleans (167 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
New Orleans is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 13% cheaper here at about $1,251 a month. Choose New Orleans if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Pick New Orleans if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (73°F) beat Chicago on this page's weather index by 52%. Chicago may pay more or cost less, but New Orleans is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Bottom line
New Orleans carries the heavier crime signal on this page (22/100 safety vs 44/100 in Chicago). That 22-point spread matters more than the $189 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Safety still diverges (44/100 in Chicago vs 22/100 in New Orleans), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $77,902 in Chicago versus $56,631 in New Orleans.
Chicago clears the bar on safety in this dataset. New Orleans deserves a serious look only when you already know the New Orleans block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
Ready to move to New Orleans?
Next steps
Quotes and listings for New Orleans when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Chicago and New Orleans, plus other cities in IL and LA.
