Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Aurora, IL
VS
Elgin, IL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Aurora
Illinois
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,943
Violent Crime Index
70 ✓ Safer
Population
181,405 ✓ Larger
Elgin
Illinois
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,998 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
70
Population
114,190
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Aurora, IL
Pros
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,462/mo
Elgin, IL
Pros
Rent averages $272/mo less ($1,190 vs $1,462)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 102.6 on the COL index
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Aurora, IL | Elgin, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $241,600 ✓ Lower | $242,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,462⚠ High | $1,190 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,943 | $85,998 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 28.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.1% ✓ Higher | 10.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 | 63 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 | 70 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 | 52 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 26.7% |
| High School or Higher | 80.9% | 81.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Indian Prairie CUSD 204 | SD U-46 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 30.5°F ✓ Warmer | 30.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.0°F | 84.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 39.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9" ✓ Less | 32.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 181,405 ✓ Larger | 114,190 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 35.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% | 71.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 26.7% ✓ More | 26.2% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 12.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Aurora's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Elgin's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Aurora wins 11 and Elgin wins 11. 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 Elgin or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($241,600 vs $242,500 median home), income ($85,943 vs $85,998), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Aurora, IL and Elgin, IL are about 19 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.