Belvidere vs DeKalb
Belvidere, Illinois versus DeKalb, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Belvidere edges out DeKalb on overall objective livability (46 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Belvidere | DeKalb |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $59k | $47k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $50k |
| Home Value | $139k | $192k |
| Monthly Rent | $914 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.25% | 2.93% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.21% | 19.79% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 10.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 22°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.1 in | 36.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.6 in | 33.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 184 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 99 days | 94 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 67.0 | 67.8 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 67.1 | 74.9 |
| Violent Crime | 400/100k | 3169/100k |
| Property Crime | 432/100k | 2584/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,389 | 40,697 |
| Median Age | 39.1 | 24.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.45 | 0.54 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | R+14 | Even |
| White (%) | 58.3% | 59.5% |
| Black (%) | 1.6% | 14.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 37.0% | 16.1% |
| Asian (%) | 1.5% | 4.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 1.7% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 7.5/20 | 8.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 53 mi | 43 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.2% | 89.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 21.66 | 27.52 |
| 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 Belvidere or DeKalb more affordable?
- Belvidere has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Belvidere's $49k and DeKalb's $50k. Median rent is $914 in Belvidere versus $1k in DeKalb.
- Is Belvidere or DeKalb safer?
- Belvidere has the lower violent crime rate. Belvidere reports 400/100k and DeKalb reports 3169/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Belvidere or DeKalb?
- The median home value is $139k in Belvidere and $192k in DeKalb, so homes are more affordable in Belvidere.