Ideal CityOpen the map

Genoa vs Waterman

Genoa, Illinois versus Waterman, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Genoa

Mixed · objective livability43/100

Waterman

Mixed · objective livability48/100

Waterman edges out Genoa on overall objective livability (48 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorGenoaWaterman
Affordability
Median Household Income$80k$87k
Cost of Living$50k$50k
Home Value$187k$194k
Monthly Rent$1k$853
Monthly Owner Costs$1k$430
Property Tax Rate2.62%2.28%
Income Tax5.00%5.00%
Sales Tax8.86%8.86%
Estimated total tax burden14.01%12.99%
Unemployment4.8%2.5%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)22°F22°F
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F72°F
Annual Precipitation38.0 in37.6 in
Annual Snowfall38.9 in29.8 in
Sunny Days184 days245 days
Summer Humidity63°F63°F
Comfortable Days97 days94 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk72.867.3
Air Quality51 AQI51 AQI
School Quality63.761.9
Violent Crime376/100k0/100k
Property Crime507/100k0/100k
Community
Population5,0441,510
Median Age39.136.2
Racial Diversity0.270.28
Male/Female Ratio0.950.79
Political LeaningEvenEven
White (%)82.3%79.5%
Black (%)0.4%1.9%
Hispanic (%)16.3%9.2%
Asian (%)0.0%0.9%
Other / Multiracial (%)1.0%8.5%
Getting Around
Commute Time32 min40 min
Walkability7.5/206.3/20
Airport Distance41 mi46 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.3%94.0%
Amenities Nearby39.6526.49
Park & Nature AccessExcellentGood

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 Genoa or Waterman more affordable?
Waterman has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Genoa's $50k and Waterman's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Genoa versus $853 in Waterman.
Is Genoa or Waterman safer?
Waterman has the lower violent crime rate. Genoa reports 376/100k and Waterman reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Genoa or Waterman?
The median home value is $187k in Genoa and $194k in Waterman, so homes are more affordable in Genoa.
See each on the map

Explore GenoaExplore Waterman

Full profiles