What stands out worked out from the figures below

Aurelius has the shortest commute (19 min average).

Belvidere has the most people working from home (9.4%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Aurelius	Belvidere
People
Population	2,593Highest	422Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	49.1±4Highest 26% above U.S.	40.7±6.5Lowest 5% above U.S.
	Aurelius and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Belvidere and Aurelius are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	8.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	35.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Aurelius and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,079±$16kHighest 17% above U.S.	$81,563±$18kLowest about the U.S. average
	Aurelius and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$167,000±$14kLowest 50% below U.S.	$239,200±$51kHighest 28% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$813±$200Lowest 42% below U.S.	$1,542±$1kHighest 9% above U.S.
	Belvidere and Aurelius are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S.	$3,908Highest 25% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	66.7%±53.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Belvidere and Aurelius are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	86.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 30% below U.S.	38 minHighest 42% above U.S.
Work from home	4.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	9.4%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Belvidere and Aurelius are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.