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Compare towns

Christopher vs Tilton

165 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3.9× in Christopher) and growth since 2010 (+15.5 pts in Christopher).

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Christopher, ILHomes around $61KIllinois · 2,570 people
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Tilton, ILHomes around $84KIllinois · 2,453 people
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.

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.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $160 more a month in Tilton

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.

Christopher$390/mo
Typical home $61K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.39% · or rent about $725/mo · Housing →
Tilton$550/mo
Typical home $84K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.60% · or rent about $877/mo · Housing →

The difference: $160 a month, about $1,900 a year, between Tilton and Christopher.

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.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Illinois ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

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
ChristopherTilton
Snow a year10″15″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)73rd40th
Outdoors & history
ChristopherTilton
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—5.8%
Settled1879—
Archive photos7—
Famous people born here6—
Community
ChristopherTilton
Library hours a week29 hrs—
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

165 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Christopher ↔ Tilton165 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.

ChristopherTilton
People
Population 2,570Highest 2,453Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +13.2%Highest -2.3%Lowest
Median age 45.2±7.6Lowest 16% above IL 48.3±6.6Highest 24% above IL
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22%±5.6Highest IL: 21.8% 15.9%±4.8Lowest IL: 21.8%
Christopher and Tilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 27%±6.1Highest IL: 17% 25.9%±4.4Lowest IL: 17%
Christopher and Tilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.9%Highest IL: 37.8% 10.8%Lowest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.1%±1.1Lowest IL: 6.3% 3.9%±2.2Highest IL: 6.3%
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $48,247±$11kLowest 42% below IL $55,697±$14kHighest 33% below IL
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $66,600±$3kLowest 75% below IL $70,400±$17kHighest 73% below IL
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $725±$248Lowest 43% below IL $877±$144Highest 31% below IL
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $929Lowest 82% below IL $1,125Highest 79% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 60.6%±26.4Highest IL: 47.9% 49.6%±24.2Lowest IL: 47.9%
Christopher and Tilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 20.8%Highest IL: 11.8% 17.3%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72.6%Lowest IL: 67.1% 75.2%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1950Lowest 21 yrs older than IL 1963Highest 8 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 10% below IL 16 minLowest 41% below IL
Work from home 4.2%±3.2Lowest IL: 15.9% 6.4%±6.2Highest IL: 15.9%
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.3%Highest 5.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miHighest 8.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.36Lowest 0.86Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Mount Vernon (12%)Danville (36%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TiltonFew work in Christopher
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.5%Lowest 5.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 185Highest 46.9Lowest
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.

Christopher neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Christopher’s Town Square.

Tilton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Tilton’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Christopher and Tilton

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

Bordering Christopher

Towns like Christopher

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.

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