Rapids City is a small town of 984 in Illinois, with a median household income of $89,500
and a 4.8% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is
11% below the national average.
Strengths:
Rapids City 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 Rapids City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Rapids City 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: 89.3
Rapids City's overall cost of living index is 89.3,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Rapids City costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.
Metric
Rapids City, IL
National Avg
Median Home Value
$202,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,193
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
93.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$89,500
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Rapids City's violent crime rate is 324.9 per 100,000 residents
— 15% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
324.9 /100k
Property Crime
2292.1 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Rapids City, 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
27.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
91.2%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Rapids City sees average highs of 30.5°F in January
and 85.0°F in July,
with 37.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 36.1 inches of snow per year.
Rapids City's cost of living index is 89, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Rapids City roughly 11% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $202,600 and median rent is $1,193/month.
Rapids City's violent crime rate is 324.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2292.1 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.
Rapids City, IL has a population of 984, a median household income of $89,500, and an unemployment rate of 4.8%.
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.
Rapids City averages 30.5°F in January and 85.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 37.1 inches
with about 36.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Rapids City, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: 61278.
The population of Rapids City, Illinois is 984 with a median age of 43.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Rapids City: cost of living index 89 (100 = US average), median home $202,600, median household income $89,500, crime index 95 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Rapids City side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
