Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Browning vs Exeter

29 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+67% in Exeter) and jobs per worker (3× in Exeter).

×
Browning, ILA small town of 99Illinois · 99 people
×
Exeter, ILA small town of 106Illinois · 106 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

BrowningA small town of 99
Quiet strengthsBrowning doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Browning →
ExeterA small town of 106
Quiet strengthsExeter doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Exeter →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill+67%
Tax bills are bigger in Exeter
Exeter $2,000Browning $1,196
Jobs per worker3×
Exeter is more of a job hub
Exeter 0.06Browning 0.02
Street grid2.4×
Browning has the more walkable street grid
Browning 45.4Exeter 19.0
Conserved land+22.3 pts
Browning has more conserved land
Browning 22.3%Exeter 0%
Average commute9 min
Exeter has the shorter commute
Browning 27 minExeter 18 min
Typical home built23 yrs
Browning’s homes are older
Exeter 1970Browning 1947
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $190 more a month in Exeter

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.

Browning$470/mo
Typical home $71K (Census) · tax rate 1.68% · Housing →
Exeter$660/mo
Typical home $95K (Census) · tax rate 2.11% · or rent about $750/mo · Housing →

The difference: $190 a month, about $2,300 a year, between Exeter and Browning.

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
BrowningExeter
Snow a year12″16″
January low—18°F
July high—87°F
Growing season (days)—179d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)75th92nd
Community
BrowningExeter
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

29 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BrowningExeterBrowningExeter
Browning ↔ Exeter29 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.

BrowningExeter
People
Population 99Lowest 106Highest
Median age 43.8±34.8Lowest 12% above IL 44.5±11.6Highest 14% above IL
Exeter and Browning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.3%±37.2Highest IL: 21.8% 10.4%±25.4Lowest IL: 21.8%
Browning and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.2%±29.2Highest IL: 17% 10.4%±37.2Lowest IL: 17%
Browning and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 7.1%Highest IL: 37.8% 2.3%Lowest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±18.6Lowest IL: 6.3% 7.5%±13.3Highest IL: 6.3%
Exeter and Browning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian — $61,250±$26k 27% below IL
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $71,400±$9kLowest 73% below IL $95,000±$49kHighest 64% below IL
Exeter and Browning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $750±$691 41% below IL
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,196Lowest 77% below IL $2,000Highest 62% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±100Highest IL: 47.9% 50%±100Lowest IL: 47.9%
Browning and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4%Lowest IL: 11.8% 14.2%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72.5%Lowest IL: 67.1% 78.9%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1947Lowest 24 yrs older than IL 1970Highest 1 yr older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 5% below IL 18 minLowest 36% below IL
Work from home 0%±29.5Lowest IL: 15.9% 6.8%±10.5Highest IL: 15.9%
Exeter and Browning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miLowest 44.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.02Lowest 0.06Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Rushville (32%)Springfield (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ExeterFew work in Browning
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 22.3%Highest 0%Lowest
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 45.4Highest 19.0Lowest
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.

Browning neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Browning’s Town Square.

Exeter neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Exeter’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Browning and Exeter

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

Towns like Browning

L
+ Compare
La Rose97 people · $73K homes
L
+ Compare
Liverpool70 people
V
+ Compare
Vernon69 people · $57K homes
E
+ Compare
Emington131 people · $91K 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.

Post to Browning

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in