Benton vs West City
Benton, Illinois versus West City, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Benton and West City score about the same overall (45 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Benton | West City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $44k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $46k |
| Home Value | $81k | $69k |
| Monthly Rent | $711 | $758 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $157 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.66% | 1.92% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.69% | 10.92% |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | 7.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 34°F | 34°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.0 in | 46.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.8 in | 9.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 64 days | 63 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 87.9 | 85.3 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 68.0 | 44.2 |
| Violent Crime | 0/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 0/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 6,999 | 640 |
| Median Age | 40.8 | 35.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.14 | 0.09 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | R+48 | R+48 |
| White (%) | 90.9% | 94.7% |
| Black (%) | 0.6% | 1.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.5% | 1.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | — |
| Walkability | 7.0/20 | 7.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 93 mi | 93 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.7% | 75.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 35.72 | 375.00 |
| 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 Benton or West City more affordable?
- West City has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Benton's $46k and West City's $46k. Median rent is $711 in Benton versus $758 in West City.
- Is Benton or West City safer?
- West City has the lower violent crime rate. Benton reports 0/100k and West City reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Benton or West City?
- The median home value is $81k in Benton and $69k in West City, so homes are more affordable in West City.