Elgin vs St. Charles
Elgin, Illinois versus St. Charles, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Elgin and St. Charles score about the same overall (43 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Elgin | St. Charles |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $86k | $110k |
| Cost of Living | $61k | $61k |
| Home Value | $243k | $351k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $27k | $9k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.50% | 2.35% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.97% | 15.42% |
| Unemployment | 6.0% | 3.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.9 in | 38.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.1 in | 46.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 95 days | 96 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 60.1 | 66.5 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 75.1 | 79.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1293/100k | 855/100k |
| Property Crime | 753/100k | 1204/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 114,190 | 32,776 |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 41.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.67 | 0.31 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.04 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+15 | D+15 |
| White (%) | 37.6% | 79.0% |
| Black (%) | 5.1% | 3.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 47.3% | 9.6% |
| Asian (%) | 6.0% | 4.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 3.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 12.1/20 | 8.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 23 mi | 21 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.4% | 95.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 18.92 | 82.38 |
| 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 Elgin or St. Charles more affordable?
- St. Charles has the lower cost of living: its index is $61k, compared with Elgin's $61k and St. Charles's $61k. Median rent is $1k in Elgin versus $2k in St. Charles.
- Is Elgin or St. Charles safer?
- St. Charles has the lower violent crime rate. Elgin reports 1293/100k and St. Charles reports 855/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Elgin or St. Charles?
- The median home value is $243k in Elgin and $351k in St. Charles, so homes are more affordable in Elgin.