HEAD TO HEAD
Chicago vs State College
Chicago leads State College on 3 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Chicago, IL
wins 3 of 5 factors
State College, PA
wins 1 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Chicago | State College |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 84 | 84 |
| Affordable to rent | 49 | 66 ◆ |
| Climate comfort | 47 ◆ | 40 |
| Plenty of sunshine | 38 ◆ | 37 |
| Big-city amenities | 100 ◆ | 34 |
By the numbers
| Figure | Chicago | State College |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $354K | $354K |
| Typical rent | $2,266/mo | $1,796/mo |
| Average temperature | 9.8°C | 8.9°C |
| Sunshine (solar energy) | 3.84 kWh/m²/day | 3.8 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank (US) | #3 | #273 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.