Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Cobden vs Bethany

148 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2× in Bethany) and street grid (2.4× in Bethany).

C ×
Cobden, ILHomes around $198KIllinois · 1,170 people
×
Bethany, ILHomes around $165KIllinois · 1,176 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.

CobdenHomes around $198K
Housing$198K typical home33% below the IL typical home SchoolsBetter than 30%of IL districts All about Cobden →
BethanyHomes around $165K
Housing$165K typical home45% below the IL typical home HealthHealthier than 71%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Bethany →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Property tax bill2×
Tax bills are bigger in Bethany
Bethany $1,885Cobden $964
Street grid2.4×
Bethany has the more walkable street grid
Bethany 101Cobden 42.6
Jobs per worker+76%
Cobden is more of a job hub
Cobden 0.72Bethany 0.41
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Cobden$1,200/mo
Typical home $198K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.98% · Housing →
Bethany$1,110/mo
Typical home $165K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.77% · or rent about $1,002/mo · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,100 a year, between Cobden and Bethany.

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.

Schools
CCobdenBetter than 30% of districts in the state –BethanyNot graded
Health
C+CobdenHealthier than 42% of U.S. towns B+BethanyHealthier than 71% of U.S. towns
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
CobdenBethany
Snow a year10″15″
January low25°F—
July high90°F—
Growing season (days)203d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)73rd73rd
Outdoors & history
CobdenBethany
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0%
Archive photos3—
Famous people born here31
Community
CobdenBethany
Library hours a week18 hrs45 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

148 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CobdenILBethanyIL
Cobden ↔ Bethany148 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.

CobdenBethany
People
Population 1,170Lowest 1,176Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -7.2% -7.2%
Median age 46.8±7.1Highest 20% above IL 42.9±11.3Lowest 10% above IL
Cobden and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.2%±6.6Lowest IL: 21.8% 22.8%±6.9Highest IL: 21.8%
Bethany and Cobden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.2%±4.9Highest IL: 17% 19.6%±4.3Lowest IL: 17%
Cobden and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.5%Lowest IL: 37.8% 22.2%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.8%±3.6Highest IL: 6.3% 1.6%±1.4Lowest IL: 6.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $46,458±$13kHighest 44% below IL $44,583±$17kLowest 47% below IL
Cobden and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $98,300±$37kLowest 63% below IL $106,200±$10kHighest 60% below IL
Bethany and Cobden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $1,002±$386 21% below IL
Property taxmedian, yearly $964Lowest 82% below IL $1,885Highest 64% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 65.4%±33.6Highest IL: 47.9% 29.8%±18.4Lowest IL: 47.9%
Cobden and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 28.8%Highest IL: 11.8% 12.3%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69.6%Highest IL: 67.1% 66.8%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1963Lowest 8 yrs older than IL 1964Highest 7 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 12% below IL 24 minLowest 15% below IL
Work from home 4.8%±3.9Highest IL: 15.9% 3.6%±3.3Lowest IL: 15.9%
Cobden and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.1%Lowest 5.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 miLowest 18.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.72Highest 0.41Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Anna (14%)Sullivan (21%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BethanyFew work in Cobden
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 0Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 42.6Lowest 101Highest
Schools
School district Cobden SUD 17—
High school in town Cobden High School—
Students per teacherat that high school 9.8 —
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.

Cobden neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cobden’s Town Square.

Bethany neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bethany’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Cobden and Bethany

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

Towns like Cobden

+ Compare
Hanover Township1,106 people · $106K homes
P
+ Compare
Phillips Township1,188 people · $109K homes
+ Compare
Franklin Grove988 people · $124K homes
W
+ Compare
Winchester1,498 people · $94K 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 Cobden

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