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Donnellson vs Eldred

60 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (5.7× in Donnellson) and average commute (28 min in Donnellson).

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Donnellson, ILHomes around $130KIllinois · 129 people

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Eldred, ILA small town of 172Illinois · 172 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.

DonnellsonHomes around $130K

Housing$130K typical home56% below the IL typical home All about Donnellson →

EldredA small town of 172

Quiet strengthsEldred doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Eldred →

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.

Jobs per worker5.7×

Donnellson is more of a job hub

Donnellson 0.34Eldred 0.06

Average commute28 min

Donnellson has the shorter commute

Eldred 48 minDonnellson 20 min

Street grid2.5×

Eldred has the more walkable street grid

Eldred 252Donnellson 100

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $370 more a month in Donnellson

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%

Donnellson$880/mo

Typical home $130K (Zillow) · tax rate est. 1.8% · or rent about $913/mo · Housing →

Eldred$510/mo

Typical home $80K (Census) · tax rate 1.37% · or rent about $605/mo · Housing →

The difference: $370 a month, about $4,400 a year, between Donnellson and Eldred.

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

DonnellsonEldred

Snow a year12″16″

January low—20°F

July high—87°F

Growing season (days)—181d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)62nd 91st

Outdoors & history

DonnellsonEldred

Settled1897 —

Famous people born here2 —

Community

DonnellsonEldred

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

60 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DonnellsonIL EldredIL

Donnellson ↔ Eldred60 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

DonnellsonEldred

People

Population 129Lowest 172Highest

Median age 51.5±30.6Highest 32% above IL 51±4.4Lowest 31% above IL

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

Kids under 18 23.3%±24.2Highest IL: 21.8% 9.3%±15.8Lowest IL: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 24.8%±11.4Lowest IL: 17% 27.9%±13.1Highest IL: 17%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 2.3%Lowest IL: 37.8% 2.7%Highest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±14.3Lowest IL: 6.3% 1.2%±7.9Highest IL: 6.3%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $45,875±$12kLowest 45% below IL $80,417±$50kHighest 4% below IL

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $51,700±$12kLowest 80% below IL $80,000±$37kHighest 70% below IL

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $913±$594Highest 28% below IL $605±$132Lowest 53% below IL

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

Property taxmedian, yearly — $1,094 79% below IL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100Lowest IL: 47.9% 43.8%±100Highest IL: 47.9%

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

Below poverty line 41.9%Highest IL: 11.8% 14%Lowest IL: 11.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 77.4%Highest IL: 67.1% 77.1%Lowest IL: 67.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1938Lowest 33 yrs older than IL 1940Highest 31 yrs older than IL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 28% below IL 48 minHighest 71% above IL

Work from home 12.2%±15.2Highest IL: 15.9% 1.1%±2Lowest IL: 15.9%

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

Work in townworking residents 1.9%Highest 1.4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 36.3 miLowest 39.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.34Highest 0.06Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Hillsboro (15%)Jacksonville (10%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in EldredFew work in Donnellson

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 100Lowest 252Highest

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.

Donnellson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Donnellson’s Town Square.

Eldred neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Eldred’s Town Square.

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Towns like Donnellson

Chestnut Township166 people

Mineral194 people · $79K homes

Shawnee Township182 people

Olmsted249 people · $52K 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.