Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Aurora, IL
VS
Clarksville, TN
🏆 Aurora leads 13 of 22 categories
Aurora
Illinois
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,943 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
70 ✓ Safer
Population
181,405 ✓ Larger
Clarksville
Tennessee
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,688
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
167,882
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Aurora, IL
Pros
35% less violent crime than Clarksville
Households earn $23,255 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.6%)
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 90°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,462/mo
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Clarksville
Clarksville, TN
Pros
Rent averages $343/mo less ($1,119 vs $1,462)
Homes cost $28k less ($213,200 vs $241,600)
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 31°F
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Aurora
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.3)
Cons
Median income trails Aurora by $23,255/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Aurora
Median Income
$23,255
$85,943 vs $62,688/yr
Aurora
Violent Crime
35% lower
266.0 vs 410.0 per 100k
Aurora
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.5% unemployment
Clarksville
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 94.3 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Clarksville
Median Home Value
$28k less
$213,200 vs $241,600
Clarksville
Summer Heat
5.9°F warmer
July avg high 89.9°F vs 84.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Aurora, IL | Clarksville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 94.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $241,600 | $213,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,462⚠ High | $1,119 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,943 ✓ Higher | $62,688 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 25.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.1% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 | — |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 28.9% |
| High School or Higher | 80.9% | 94.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Indian Prairie CUSD 204 | Montgomery County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 30.5°F | 46.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.0°F | 89.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 53.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9" | 0.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 181,405 ✓ Larger | 167,882 |
| Median Age | 35.4 ✓ Older | 30.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 56.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | 26.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.5% ✓ More | 8.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Aurora's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Clarksville's 94.3 (US average = 100).
Clarksville is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Aurora leads 13 of 22 categories. Aurora wins 13 and Clarksville wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Aurora to Clarksville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($241,600 vs $213,200 median home), income ($85,943 vs $62,688), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Aurora, IL and Clarksville, TN are about 363 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.