Decatur vs Urbana
Decatur, Illinois versus Urbana, 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 Urbana score about the same overall (46 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Decatur | Urbana |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $41k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $49k |
| Home Value | $97k | $175k |
| Monthly Rent | $770 | $910 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.19% | 2.60% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.25% | 19.00% |
| Unemployment | 8.9% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 27°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.4 in | 40.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.6 in | 20.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 236 days | 236 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 86 days | 88 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 40.8 | 51.5 |
| Air Quality | 26 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 69.3 | 88.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2242/100k | 2306/100k |
| Property Crime | 2487/100k | 2693/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 70,975 | 38,741 |
| Median Age | 39.7 | 25.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | R+18 | D+24 |
| White (%) | 66.7% | 56.1% |
| Black (%) | 23.9% | 16.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.0% | 8.4% |
| Asian (%) | 1.3% | 14.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 7.8/20 | 14.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 109 mi | 104 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 80.4% | 80.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 14.23 | 105.57 |
| 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 Urbana more affordable?
- Decatur has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Decatur's $46k and Urbana's $49k. Median rent is $770 in Decatur versus $910 in Urbana.
- Is Decatur or Urbana safer?
- Decatur has the lower violent crime rate. Decatur reports 2242/100k and Urbana reports 2306/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Decatur or Urbana?
- The median home value is $97k in Decatur and $175k in Urbana, so homes are more affordable in Decatur.