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Eldred vs Donnellson

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

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Eldred, ILA small town of 172Illinois · 172 people

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Donnellson, ILHomes around $130KIllinois · 129 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.

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 →

DonnellsonHomes around $130K

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

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%

Eldred$510/mo

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

Donnellson$880/mo

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

EldredDonnellson

Snow a year16″12″

January low20°F —

July high87°F —

Growing season (days)181d —

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

Outdoors & history

EldredDonnellson

Settled—1897

Famous people born here—2

Community

EldredDonnellson

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.

EldredIL DonnellsonIL

Eldred ↔ Donnellson60 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

EldredDonnellson

People

Population 172Highest 129Lowest

Median age 51±4.4Lowest 31% above IL 51.5±30.6Highest 32% 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 9.3%±15.8Lowest IL: 21.8% 23.3%±24.2Highest 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+ 27.9%±13.1Highest IL: 17% 24.8%±11.4Lowest 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+ 2.7%Highest IL: 37.8% 2.3%Lowest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.2%±7.9Highest IL: 6.3% 0%±14.3Lowest 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 $80,417±$50kHighest 4% below IL $45,875±$12kLowest 45% 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 $80,000±$37kHighest 70% below IL $51,700±$12kLowest 80% 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 $605±$132Lowest 53% below IL $913±$594Highest 28% 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 43.8%±100Highest IL: 47.9% 0%±100Lowest 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 14%Lowest IL: 11.8% 41.9%Highest IL: 11.8%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

Work from home 1.1%±2Lowest IL: 15.9% 12.2%±15.2Highest 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 1.4%Lowest 1.9%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 39.3 miHighest 36.3 miLowest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DonnellsonFew work in Eldred

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 252Highest 100Lowest

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.

Eldred neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Eldred’s Town Square.

Donnellson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Donnellson’s Town Square.

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Towns like Eldred

Fieldon200 people · $91K homes

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Sibley286 people · $91K 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.