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%

Cullom$1,100/mo

Typical home $158K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.06% · or rent about $969/mo · Housing →

Leaf River$930/mo

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

The difference: $170 a month, about $2,000 a year, between Cullom 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

CullomLeaf River

Snow a year28″32″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th 62nd

Outdoors & history

CullomLeaf River

Settled—1882

Archive photos2 5

Famous people born here2 —

Community

CullomLeaf 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

104 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CullomIL Leaf RiverIL

Cullom ↔ Leaf River104 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

CullomLeaf River

People

Population 471Lowest 477Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -6.3% —

Median age 41.5±13Lowest 6% above IL 43.4±12.5Highest 11% above IL

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

Kids under 18 19.1%±5.9Lowest IL: 21.8% 19.7%±3.9Highest IL: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 24%±4.2Highest IL: 17% 16.4%±6Lowest IL: 17%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.9%Lowest IL: 37.8% 17%Highest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.7%±3Highest IL: 6.3% 5.2%±3.7Lowest IL: 6.3%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $65,417±$17kLowest 22% below IL $79,500±$14kHighest 5% below IL

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $100,800±$17kHighest 62% below IL $94,000±$6kLowest 64% below IL

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $969±$101Highest 24% below IL $917±$201Lowest 28% below IL

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,081Lowest 61% below IL $2,239Highest 58% below IL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 20.6%±54.9Lowest IL: 47.9% 44.1%±18.6Highest IL: 47.9%

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

Below poverty line 11.7%Lowest IL: 11.8% 12.8%Highest IL: 11.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 83.4%Lowest IL: 67.1% 84.1%Highest IL: 67.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1954Highest 17 yrs older than IL 1950Lowest 21 yrs older than IL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 26 minLowest 6% below IL 29 minHighest about the IL average

Work from home 0.9%±1.8Lowest IL: 15.9% 3%±2.8Highest IL: 15.9%

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

Work in townworking residents 1.4%Highest 0.9%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 32.8 miHighest 21.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.21Highest 0.16Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Pontiac (12%)Rockford (24%)

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

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 107Highest 40.5Lowest

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.

Cullom neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cullom’s Town Square.

Leaf River neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Leaf River’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Cullom and Leaf River

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

Towns like Cullom

+ Compare

Stratton Township493 people · $117K homes

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Watson620 people · $100K homes

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Bismarck507 people · $115K homes

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Chili Township628 people · $81K 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.

Cullom vs Leaf River

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $170 more a month in Cullom

What daily life feels like in each

104 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Cullom and Leaf River

Towns like Cullom

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