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%

Bluford$610/mo

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

Baldwin$740/mo

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

BlufordBaldwin

Snow a year10″10″

January low22°F —

July high86°F —

Growing season (days)193d —

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

Outdoors & history

BlufordBaldwin

Trails—0 mi

Conserved land—1.8%

Community

BlufordBaldwin

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.

BlufordIL BaldwinIL

Bluford ↔ Baldwin61 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

BlufordBaldwin

People

Population 483Highest 355Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8.4% —

Median age 34.7±10.2Lowest 11% below IL 36.8±9.6Highest 6% 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 22.6%±7.1Lowest IL: 21.8% 25.9%±5.6Highest 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+ 21.5%±4.3Highest IL: 17% 13.8%±5.7Lowest 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+ 9.4%Highest IL: 37.8% 8.8%Lowest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.4%±2.8Lowest IL: 6.3% 2.8%±4.7Highest 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 $51,583±$13kHighest 38% below IL $46,771±$17kLowest 44% 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 $94,500±$8kHighest 64% below IL $87,500±$25kLowest 67% 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 $786±$58Lowest 38% below IL $838±$56Highest 34% 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 $1,333Highest 75% below IL $1,189Lowest 78% below IL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.2%±57.8Lowest IL: 47.9% 76%±96.6Highest 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 13.9%Lowest IL: 11.8% 25.9%Highest IL: 11.8%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

Work from home 2.9%±2.8Highest IL: 15.9% 2.3%±2.9Lowest 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 0.4%Highest 0%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miLowest 22.3 miHighest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BaldwinFew work in Bluford

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.8%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

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

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.

Bluford neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bluford’s Town Square.

Baldwin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Baldwin’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Bluford and Baldwin

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

Towns like Bluford

+ Compare

Winslow Township499 people · $115K homes

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Allens Grove Township395 people · $94K homes

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Patoka498 people · $89K homes

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Omaha Township369 people · $89K 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.

Bluford vs Baldwin

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 Bluford and Baldwin

Towns like Bluford

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