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%

Dover$770/mo

Typical home $120K (Census) · tax rate 1.41% · or rent about $833/mo · Housing →

Nelson$560/mo

Typical home $86K (Census) · tax rate 1.51% · Housing →

The difference: $210 a month, about $2,500 a year, between Dover and Nelson.

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

DoverNelson

Snow a year29″29″

January low14°F —

July high85°F —

Growing season (days)177d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th 49th

Outdoors & history

DoverNelson

Settled1833 —

Famous people born here1 —

Community

DoverNelson

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

27 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DoverNelson

Dover ↔ Nelson27 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

DoverNelson

People

Population 133Highest 125Lowest

Median age 58.8±10.5Highest 51% above IL 56.9±15.8Lowest 46% above IL

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

Kids under 18 10.5%±15.4Highest IL: 21.8% 8.8%±22.2Lowest IL: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 27.8%±28.8Lowest IL: 17% 33.6%±19.7Highest IL: 17%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.5%Highest IL: 37.8% 11.6%Lowest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3%±2.9Highest IL: 6.3% 0.8%±10.5Lowest IL: 6.3%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $49,375±$29kHighest 41% below IL $39,250±$9kLowest 53% below IL

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $120,000±$62kHighest 54% below IL $86,300±$43kLowest 67% below IL

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $833±$45 35% below IL —

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,688Highest 68% below IL $1,300Lowest 75% below IL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100Lowest IL: 47.9% 40%±100Highest IL: 47.9%

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

Below poverty line 11.3%Lowest IL: 11.8% 21.6%Highest IL: 11.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 84.5%Lowest IL: 67.1% 89.5%Highest IL: 67.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1963Highest 8 yrs older than IL 1943Lowest 28 yrs older than IL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 34% below IL 23 minHighest 19% below IL

Work from home 3.4%±6.6Highest IL: 15.9% 3.3%±6.4Lowest IL: 15.9%

Dover and Nelson 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 17.8 miHighest 15.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.05Lowest 0.13Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Princeton (30%)Dixon (21%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in NelsonFew work in Dover

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1%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 104Highest 22.2Lowest

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.

Dover neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dover’s Town Square.

Nelson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Nelson’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Dover and Nelson

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

Towns like Dover

+ Compare

Songer Township131 people · $207K homes

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Ridott130 people · $126K homes

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Perry206 people · $87K homes

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Gays165 people · $93K 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.

Dover vs Nelson

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $210 more a month in Dover

What daily life feels like in each

27 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Dover and Nelson

Towns like Dover

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