Is New Boston, IL a Good Place to Live?
New Boston is a small town of 579 in Illinois, with a median household income of $54,821 and a 7.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is 11% below the national average.
Strengths: New Boston stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether New Boston is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All New Boston 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: 89.3New Boston's overall cost of living index is 89.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in New Boston costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.
| Metric | New Boston, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $85,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $494 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $54,821 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for New Boston is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
New Boston is served primarily by Mercer County School District 404. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | New Boston, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Mercer County School District 404 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 7.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 86.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
New Boston sees average highs of 31.5°F in January and 86.0°F in July, with 36.3 inches of annual precipitation and 20.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | New Boston, IL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 31.5°F |
| Average High — July | 86.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | New Boston, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 579 | — |
| Median Age | 39.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 45.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 97.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in New Boston
New Boston, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: