Decatur vs Springfield
Decatur, Illinois versus Springfield, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Decatur and Springfield score about the same overall (46 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Decatur | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $62k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $46k |
| Home Value | $97k | $148k |
| Monthly Rent | $770 | $913 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.19% | 2.10% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.25% | 12.89% |
| Unemployment | 8.9% | 6.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 27°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.4 in | 40.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.6 in | 21.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 236 days | 236 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 86 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 40.8 | 57.6 |
| Air Quality | 26 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 69.3 | 99.3 |
| Violent Crime | 2242/100k | 4369/100k |
| Property Crime | 2487/100k | 4243/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 70,975 | 114,214 |
| Median Age | 39.7 | 40.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | R+18 | Even |
| White (%) | 66.7% | 69.7% |
| Black (%) | 23.9% | 20.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Asian (%) | 1.3% | 3.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 7.8/20 | 13.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 109 mi | 80 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 80.4% | 84.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 14.23 | 30.91 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Decatur or Springfield more affordable?
- Decatur has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Decatur's $46k and Springfield's $46k. Median rent is $770 in Decatur versus $913 in Springfield.
- Is Decatur or Springfield safer?
- Decatur has the lower violent crime rate. Decatur reports 2242/100k and Springfield reports 4369/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Decatur or Springfield?
- The median home value is $97k in Decatur and $148k in Springfield, so homes are more affordable in Decatur.