Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bend, OR
VS
Peoria, IL
🏆 Bend leads 15 of 23 categories
Bend
Oregon
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,671 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
99,442
Peoria
Illinois
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,068
Violent Crime Index
354⚠ High
Population
113,054 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bend, OR
Pros
87% less violent crime than Peoria
Households earn $24,603 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.2 pts lower (3.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (168.5 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 48.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 43°F vs 34°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $576,900
Higher rents — median is $1,649/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Peoria
Peoria, IL
Pros
Homes cost $430k less ($146,700 vs $576,900)
Rent averages $732/mo less ($917 vs $1,649)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Bend
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.6)
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bend by $24,603/yr
Violent crime (1344.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4284.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.0% vs 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bend
Median Income
$24,603
$82,671 vs $58,068/yr
Bend
Violent Crime
87% lower
168.5 vs 1344.9 per 100k
Bend
Unemployment
4.2 pp lower
3.8% vs 8.0% unemployment
Peoria
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 88.6 vs 105.8 (100 = US avg)
Peoria
Median Home Value
$430k less
$146,700 vs $576,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bend, OR | Peoria, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.8⚠ High | 88.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $576,900⚠ High | $146,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,649⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,671 ✓ Higher | $58,068 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter | 17.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.0% ✓ Higher | 9.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 294⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 354⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 204⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% ✓ Higher | 37.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 91.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bend-LaPine Administrative SD 1 | Peoria SD 150 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.5°F ✓ Warmer | 33.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 83.8°F | 86.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.6" ✓ Drier | 39.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.6" ✓ Less | 26.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,442 | 113,054 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% ✓ Higher | 56.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 23.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.0% ✓ More | 16.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend's cost of living index is 105.8 vs Peoria's 88.6 (US average = 100).
Peoria is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bend leads 15 of 23 categories. Bend wins 15 and Peoria wins 8. 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 Bend to Peoria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($576,900 vs $146,700 median home), income ($82,671 vs $58,068), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bend, OR and Peoria, IL are about 1,623 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.