Aurora vs Plainfield
Aurora, Illinois versus Plainfield, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Aurora edges out Plainfield on overall objective livability (45 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Aurora | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $86k | $143k |
| Cost of Living | $61k | $61k |
| Home Value | $242k | $377k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.50% | 2.40% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.96% | 14.25% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5 in | 41.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9 in | 29.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 91 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 33.5 | 59.4 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 68.1 | 57.2 |
| Violent Crime | 127/100k | 502/100k |
| Property Crime | 87/100k | 676/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 181,405 | 44,941 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 37.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.70 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 33.3% | 69.6% |
| Black (%) | 10.3% | 8.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 42.3% | 8.3% |
| Asian (%) | 10.7% | 9.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 34 min |
| Walkability | 9.7/20 | 7.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 26 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.4% | 96.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 19.35 | 32.49 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
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 Aurora or Plainfield more affordable?
- Plainfield has the lower cost of living: its index is $61k, compared with Aurora's $61k and Plainfield's $61k. Median rent is $1k in Aurora versus $2k in Plainfield.
- Is Aurora or Plainfield safer?
- Aurora has the lower violent crime rate. Aurora reports 127/100k and Plainfield reports 502/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Aurora or Plainfield?
- The median home value is $242k in Aurora and $377k in Plainfield, so homes are more affordable in Aurora.