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Elgin vs Sutherland

195 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+83% in Elgin) and work from home (+12.8 pts in Elgin).

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Elgin, IAHomes around $285KIowa · 735 people

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Sutherland, IAHomes around $160KIowa · 629 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.

ElginHomes around $285K

Housing$285K typical home19% above the IA typical home All about Elgin →

SutherlandHomes around $160K

Housing$160K typical home33% below the IA typical home All about Sutherland →

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 bill+83%

Tax bills are bigger in Elgin

Elgin $1,651Sutherland $904

Work from home+12.8 pts

More people work from home in Elgin

Elgin 14.9%Sutherland 2.1%

Typical home built35 yrs

Sutherland’s homes are older

Elgin 1973Sutherland 1938

Jobs per worker2.2×

Sutherland is more of a job hub

Sutherland 0.65Elgin 0.30

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $930 more a month in Elgin

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%

Elgin$1,890/mo

Typical home $285K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.67% · or rent about $538/mo · Housing →

Sutherland$960/mo

Typical home $160K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.89% · or rent about $581/mo · Housing →

The difference: $930 a month, about $11,200 a year, between Elgin and Sutherland.

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

ElginSutherland

Snow a year41″35″

January low6°F 9°F

July high82°F 85°F

Growing season (days)151d 163d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)85th 61st

Outdoors & history

ElginSutherland

National Register places1 —

Archive photos2 —

Community

ElginSutherland

Library hours a week27 hrs 25 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

195 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ElginIA SutherlandIA

Elgin ↔ Sutherland195 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 Iowa average

ElginSutherland

People

Population 735Highest 629Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.3%Highest IA: +4.7% -3.1%Lowest IA: +4.7%

Median age 51.9±10.7Highest 34% above IA 51.5±5.6Lowest 33% above IA

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

Kids under 18 18.2%±4.1Lowest IA: 22.9% 22.6%±6.9Highest IA: 22.9%

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

Age 65+ 31.6%±7.5Highest IA: 18.1% 26.6%±4.9Lowest IA: 18.1%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.6%Highest IA: 31.4% 15.5%Lowest IA: 31.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.4%±1.5Lowest IA: 6.2% 1.7%±1.5Highest IA: 6.2%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $54,688±$12kLowest 27% below IA $55,469±$9kHighest 26% below IA

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $98,800±$22kLowest 53% below IA $101,200±$30kHighest 51% below IA

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $538±$312Lowest 45% below IA $581±$57Highest 40% below IA

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,651Highest 43% below IA $904Lowest 69% below IA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 13.6%±31.5Lowest IA: 43.9% 40.4%±32.9Highest IA: 43.9%

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

Below poverty line 3.7%Lowest IA: 11.1% 13.9%Highest IA: 11.1%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82.5%Highest IA: 71.7% 79.8%Lowest IA: 71.7%

Typical home builtmedian year 1973Highest 1 yr newer than IA 1938Lowest 34 yrs older than IA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 11% below IA 21 minHighest 8% above IA

Work from home 14.9%±6.5Highest IA: 11.3% 2.1%±2.8Lowest IA: 11.3%

Work in townworking residents 2.9%Lowest 6.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miHighest 20.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.30Lowest 0.65Highest

Top workplaceoutside town West Union (19%)Paullina (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SutherlandFew work in Elgin

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 85.8Highest 72.6Lowest

Iowa 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.

Elgin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elgin’s Town Square.

Sutherland neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sutherland’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Elgin and Sutherland

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Towns like Elgin

Sioux Rapids722 people · $89K homes

Armstrong703 people · $91K homes

Griswold975 people · $99K homes

Odebolt945 people · $99K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Iowa towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.