A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Baldwin$740/mo

Typical home $117K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.36% · or rent about $838/mo · Housing →

Bluford$610/mo

Typical home $95K (Census) · tax rate 1.41% · or rent about $786/mo · Housing →

The difference: $140 a month, about $1,600 a year, between Baldwin and Bluford.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

BaldwinBluford

Snow a year10″10″

January low—22°F

July high—86°F

Growing season (days)—193d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)73rd 53rd

Outdoors & history

BaldwinBluford

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land1.8%—

Community

BaldwinBluford

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

61 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BaldwinIL BlufordIL

Baldwin ↔ Bluford61 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Illinois average

BaldwinBluford

People

Population 355Lowest 483Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -8.4%

Median age 36.8±9.6Highest 6% below IL 34.7±10.2Lowest 11% below IL

Baldwin and Bluford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 25.9%±5.6Highest IL: 21.8% 22.6%±7.1Lowest IL: 21.8%

Baldwin and Bluford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 13.8%±5.7Lowest IL: 17% 21.5%±4.3Highest IL: 17%

Bluford and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 8.8%Lowest IL: 37.8% 9.4%Highest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±4.7Highest IL: 6.3% 0.4%±2.8Lowest IL: 6.3%

Baldwin and Bluford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $46,771±$17kLowest 44% below IL $51,583±$13kHighest 38% below IL

Bluford and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $87,500±$25kLowest 67% below IL $94,500±$8kHighest 64% below IL

Bluford and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $838±$56Highest 34% below IL $786±$58Lowest 38% below IL

Baldwin and Bluford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,189Lowest 78% below IL $1,333Highest 75% below IL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 76%±96.6Highest IL: 47.9% 34.2%±57.8Lowest IL: 47.9%

Baldwin and Bluford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 25.9%Highest IL: 11.8% 13.9%Lowest IL: 11.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 75.2%Lowest IL: 67.1% 76.8%Highest IL: 67.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1964Lowest 7 yrs older than IL 1975Highest 4 yrs newer than IL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 28 minLowest about the IL average 32 minHighest 16% above IL

Work from home 2.3%±2.9Lowest IL: 15.9% 2.9%±2.8Highest IL: 15.9%

Bluford and Baldwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 0.4%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miHighest 16.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.13Highest 0.05Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Sparta (13%)Mount Vernon (36%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BlufordFew work in Baldwin

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.8%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 51.4Highest 39.9Lowest

Illinois average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Baldwin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Baldwin’s Town Square.

Bluford neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bluford’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Baldwin and Bluford

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Baldwin

+ Compare

Omaha Township369 people · $89K homes

+ Compare

Allens Grove Township395 people · $94K homes

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Winslow Township499 people · $115K homes

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Kilbourne268 people · $73K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Baldwin vs Bluford

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

61 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Baldwin and Bluford

Towns like Baldwin

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