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%

Bismarck$1,210/mo

Typical home $180K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.79% · or rent about $856/mo · Housing →

Leaf River$930/mo

Typical home $129K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.38% · or rent about $917/mo · Housing →

The difference: $280 a month, about $3,400 a year, between Bismarck and Leaf River.

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

BismarckLeaf River

Snow a year15″32″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th 62nd

Outdoors & history

BismarckLeaf River

Settled1873 1882

Archive photos2 5

Community

BismarckLeaf River

Library hours a week—39 hrs

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

159 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BismarckIL Leaf RiverIL

Bismarck ↔ Leaf River159 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

BismarckLeaf River

People

Population 507Highest 477Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.5% —

Median age 41.8±8.8Lowest 7% above IL 43.4±12.5Highest 11% above IL

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

Kids under 18 26.8%±4.3Highest IL: 21.8% 19.7%±3.9Lowest IL: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 15.6%±4.3Lowest IL: 17% 16.4%±6Highest IL: 17%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21.7%Highest IL: 37.8% 17%Lowest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.2%±3.6Lowest IL: 6.3% 5.2%±3.7Highest IL: 6.3%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $79,583±$39kHighest 5% below IL $79,500±$14kLowest 5% below IL

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $114,500±$21kHighest 57% below IL $94,000±$6kLowest 64% below IL

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $856±$235Lowest 33% below IL $917±$201Highest 28% below IL

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,054Lowest 61% below IL $2,239Highest 58% below IL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40%±67.5Lowest IL: 47.9% 44.1%±18.6Highest IL: 47.9%

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

Below poverty line 9.9%Lowest IL: 11.8% 12.8%Highest IL: 11.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82.1%Lowest IL: 67.1% 84.1%Highest IL: 67.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1971Highest same as IL 1950Lowest 21 yrs older than IL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 14% below IL 29 minHighest about the IL average

Work from home 10.5%±9.8Highest IL: 15.9% 3%±2.8Lowest IL: 15.9%

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

Work in townworking residents 4.9%Highest 0.9%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.3 miLowest 21.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.70Highest 0.16Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Danville (37%)Rockford (24%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Leaf RiverFew work in Bismarck

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 37.8Lowest 40.5Highest

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.

Bismarck neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bismarck’s Town Square.

Leaf River neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Leaf River’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Bismarck

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Oneida719 people · $114K 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.

Bismarck vs Leaf River

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $280 more a month in Bismarck

What daily life feels like in each

159 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Bismarck and Leaf River

Towns like Bismarck

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