DeKalb vs Elgin
DeKalb, Illinois versus Elgin, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
DeKalb and Elgin score about the same overall (41 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | DeKalb | Elgin |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $47k | $86k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $61k |
| Home Value | $192k | $243k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.93% | 2.50% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 19.79% | 14.97% |
| Unemployment | 10.7% | 6.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 22°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.9 in | 39.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.1 in | 32.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 67.8 | 60.1 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 74.9 | 75.1 |
| Violent Crime | 3169/100k | 1293/100k |
| Property Crime | 2584/100k | 753/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 40,697 | 114,190 |
| Median Age | 24.9 | 35.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.54 | 0.67 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+15 |
| White (%) | 59.5% | 37.6% |
| Black (%) | 14.5% | 5.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.1% | 47.3% |
| Asian (%) | 4.7% | 6.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 8.3/20 | 12.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 43 mi | 23 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.8% | 92.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 27.52 | 18.92 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
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 DeKalb or Elgin more affordable?
- DeKalb has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with DeKalb's $50k and Elgin's $61k. Median rent is $1k in DeKalb versus $1k in Elgin.
- Is DeKalb or Elgin safer?
- Elgin has the lower violent crime rate. DeKalb reports 3169/100k and Elgin reports 1293/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in DeKalb or Elgin?
- The median home value is $192k in DeKalb and $243k in Elgin, so homes are more affordable in DeKalb.