Anchor is a small town of 249 in Illinois, with a median household income of $67,596
.
Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is
8% below the national average.
Strengths:
Anchor stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Anchor is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Anchor city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 92.0
Anchor's overall cost of living index is 92.0,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Anchor costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.
Metric
Anchor, IL
National Avg
Median Home Value
$95,200
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,050
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
89.2%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$67,596
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Anchor's violent crime rate is 104.4 per 100,000 residents
— 73% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
104.4 /100k
Property Crime
500.8 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Anchor, IL
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
6.7%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
94.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Anchor sees average highs of 32.0°F in January
and 84.0°F in July,
with 38.5 inches of annual precipitation
and 18.3 inches of snow per year.
Anchor's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Anchor roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $95,200 and median rent is $1,050/month.
Anchor's violent crime rate is 104.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 500.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Anchor, IL has a population of 249, a median household income of $67,596, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Anchor averages 32.0°F in January and 84.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.5 inches
with about 18.3 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Anchor, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: 61720.
The population of Anchor, Illinois is 249 with a median age of 32.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Anchor: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $95,200, median household income $67,596, crime index 26 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Anchor side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.