Normal vs Springfield
Normal, Illinois versus Springfield, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Normal and Springfield score about the same overall (42 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Normal | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $62k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $46k |
| Home Value | $194k | $148k |
| Monthly Rent | $924 | $913 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.41% | 2.10% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.24% | 12.89% |
| Unemployment | 3.9% | 6.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.5 in | 40.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5 in | 21.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 236 days | 236 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 81 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 62.2 | 57.6 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 52.8 | 99.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1716/100k | 4369/100k |
| Property Crime | 1362/100k | 4243/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 52,920 | 114,214 |
| Median Age | 25.2 | 40.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.36 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 75.3% | 69.7% |
| Black (%) | 12.6% | 20.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.0% | 3.1% |
| Asian (%) | 3.9% | 3.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.2% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 11.4/20 | 13.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 108 mi | 80 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.6% | 84.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 51.97 | 30.91 |
| 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 Normal or Springfield more affordable?
- Springfield has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Normal's $49k and Springfield's $46k. Median rent is $924 in Normal versus $913 in Springfield.
- Is Normal or Springfield safer?
- Normal has the lower violent crime rate. Normal reports 1716/100k and Springfield reports 4369/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Normal or Springfield?
- The median home value is $194k in Normal and $148k in Springfield, so homes are more affordable in Springfield.