Galesburg vs Rock Island
Galesburg, Illinois versus Rock Island, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Galesburg edges out Rock Island on overall objective livability (53 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Galesburg | Rock Island |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $42k | $56k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $43k |
| Home Value | $87k | $116k |
| Monthly Rent | $679 | $800 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $987 | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.00% | 2.47% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.00% | 13.05% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 7.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.0 in | 38.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 25.9 in | 36.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 237 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 84 days | 83 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 48.5 | 37.4 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 92.3 | 84.4 |
| Violent Crime | 0/100k | 2757/100k |
| Property Crime | 0/100k | 2735/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 29,923 | 37,264 |
| Median Age | 41.6 | 35.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.08 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+12 |
| White (%) | 73.1% | 62.3% |
| Black (%) | 12.6% | 16.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.4% | 13.6% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 4.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 8.5/20 | 7.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 146 mi | 143 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 76.2% | 86.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 23.39 | 52.33 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Galesburg or Rock Island more affordable?
- Rock Island has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Galesburg's $44k and Rock Island's $43k. Median rent is $679 in Galesburg versus $800 in Rock Island.
- Is Galesburg or Rock Island safer?
- Galesburg has the lower violent crime rate. Galesburg reports 0/100k and Rock Island reports 2757/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Galesburg or Rock Island?
- The median home value is $87k in Galesburg and $116k in Rock Island, so homes are more affordable in Galesburg.