Is East Alton, IL a Good Place to Live?
East Alton is a small town of 5,782 in Illinois, with a median household income of $48,313 and a 3.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.
Strengths: East Alton stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether East Alton is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All East Alton 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: 96.3East Alton's overall cost of living index is 96.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in East Alton costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.
| Metric | East Alton, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $97,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $789 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $48,313 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageEast Alton's violent crime rate is 446.7 per 100,000 residents — 18% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
East Alton is served primarily by East Alton SD 13. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | East Alton, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | East Alton SD 13 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
East Alton sees average highs of 39.0°F in January and 87.3°F in July, with 41.9 inches of annual precipitation and 10.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | East Alton, IL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 39.0°F |
| Average High — July | 87.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | East Alton, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,782 | — |
| Median Age | 44.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 14.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in East Alton
East Alton, IL is covered by 2 ZIP codes: