Pekin vs Rock Island
Pekin, 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.
Pekin and Rock Island score about the same overall (46 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Pekin | Rock Island |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $53k | $56k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $43k |
| Home Value | $115k | $116k |
| Monthly Rent | $736 | $800 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.07% | 2.47% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.45% | 13.05% |
| Unemployment | 6.6% | 7.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5 in | 38.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.2 in | 36.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 236 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 81 days | 83 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 62.5 | 37.4 |
| Air Quality | 20 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 72.1 | 84.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2240/100k | 2757/100k |
| Property Crime | 2307/100k | 2735/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 32,075 | 37,264 |
| Median Age | 41.2 | 35.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.14 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | R+26 | D+12 |
| White (%) | 90.5% | 62.3% |
| Black (%) | 2.8% | 16.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.6% | 13.6% |
| Asian (%) | 0.5% | 4.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.5% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 13.2/20 | 7.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 129 mi | 143 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.9% | 86.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 25.88 | 52.33 |
| 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 Pekin or Rock Island more affordable?
- Rock Island has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Pekin's $46k and Rock Island's $43k. Median rent is $736 in Pekin versus $800 in Rock Island.
- Is Pekin or Rock Island safer?
- Pekin has the lower violent crime rate. Pekin reports 2240/100k and Rock Island reports 2757/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Pekin or Rock Island?
- The median home value is $115k in Pekin and $116k in Rock Island, so homes are more affordable in Pekin.