Alton vs Edwardsville
Alton, Illinois versus Edwardsville, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Alton and Edwardsville score about the same overall (44 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Alton | Edwardsville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $87k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $46k |
| Home Value | $94k | $277k |
| Monthly Rent | $908 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.83% | 1.99% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.38% | 14.25% |
| Unemployment | 6.6% | 6.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 33°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.9 in | 45.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8 in | 10.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 69 days | 69 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 53.9 | 79.7 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 62.3 | 47.5 |
| Violent Crime | 3054/100k | 330/100k |
| Property Crime | 3125/100k | 780/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,642 | 26,622 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 30.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.49 | 0.25 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.90 |
| Political Leaning | R+14 | R+14 |
| White (%) | 65.2% | 85.3% |
| Black (%) | 24.6% | 6.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.5% | 2.6% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 2.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.8% | 2.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 8.9/20 | 8.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 16 mi | 21 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.6% | 91.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 54.99 | 45.83 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Alton or Edwardsville more affordable?
- Edwardsville has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Alton's $46k and Edwardsville's $46k. Median rent is $908 in Alton versus $1k in Edwardsville.
- Is Alton or Edwardsville safer?
- Edwardsville has the lower violent crime rate. Alton reports 3054/100k and Edwardsville reports 330/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Alton or Edwardsville?
- The median home value is $94k in Alton and $277k in Edwardsville, so homes are more affordable in Alton.