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Compare towns

Gardner vs Hebron

88 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+19.1 pts in Hebron) and street grid (+60% in Gardner).

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Gardner, ILHomes around $206KIllinois · 1,410 people
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Hebron, ILOne of the safest townsIllinois · 1,261 people
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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.

GardnerHomes around $206K
Housing$206K typical home31% below the IL typical home All about Gardner →
HebronOne of the safest towns
SafetySafer than 98%of U.S. towns we grade HealthHealthier than 68%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Hebron →
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.

Growth since 2010+19.1 pts
Hebron has grown faster since 2010
Hebron +12.5%Gardner -6.6%
Street grid+60%
Gardner has the more walkable street grid
Gardner 53.3Hebron 33.4
Typical home built15 yrs
Gardner’s homes are older
Hebron 1979Gardner 1964
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $790 more a month in Hebron

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.

Gardner$1,420/mo
Typical home $206K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.96% · or rent about $979/mo · Housing →
Hebron$2,210/mo
Typical home $317K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.06% · or rent about $1,118/mo · Housing →

The difference: $790 a month, about $9,500 a year, between Hebron and Gardner.

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.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Illinois ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
–GardnerNot graded A+HebronSafer than 98% of U.S. towns
Health
C+GardnerHealthier than 44% of U.S. towns B+HebronHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns
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
GardnerHebron
Snow a year23″32″
January low14°F—
July high84°F—
Growing season (days)170d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th18th
Outdoors & history
GardnerHebron
Settled—1895
Archive photos10—
Community
GardnerHebron
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

88 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

GardnerILHebronIL
Gardner ↔ Hebron88 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.

GardnerHebron
People
Population 1,410Highest 1,261Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -6.6%Lowest +12.5%Highest
Median age 38.5±8.1Lowest about the IL average 38.6±8.8Highest about the IL average
Hebron and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 18.7%±4.1Lowest IL: 21.8% 25.5%±4.8Highest IL: 21.8%
Hebron and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.6%±2.1Lowest IL: 17% 15.9%±6.6Highest IL: 17%
Hebron and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.4%Lowest IL: 37.8% 18.5%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.6%±2Lowest IL: 6.3% 8.8%±9.6Highest IL: 6.3%
Hebron and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $88,092±$10kHighest 6% above IL $85,375±$23kLowest about the IL average
Gardner and Hebron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $199,600±$22kLowest 24% below IL $208,100±$39kHighest 21% below IL
Hebron and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $979±$127Lowest 23% below IL $1,118±$133Highest 12% below IL
Hebron and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,914Lowest 26% below IL $4,291Highest 19% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 41.7%±23.8Highest IL: 47.9% 41%±24Lowest IL: 47.9%
Gardner and Hebron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 16.1%Highest IL: 11.8% 6.6%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 75%Lowest IL: 67.1% 77.2%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1964Lowest 7 yrs older than IL 1979Highest 8 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 8% above IL 28 minLowest about the IL average
Work from home 1.7%±1.5Lowest IL: 15.9% 4.9%±3.1Highest IL: 15.9%
Hebron and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4%Lowest 6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 29.8 miHighest 27.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Highest 0.41Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Chicago (10%)Chicago (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HebronFew work in Gardner
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.3%Highest
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 53.3Highest 33.4Lowest
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.

Gardner neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Gardner’s Town Square.

Hebron neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hebron’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Gardner and Hebron

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Bordering Gardner

G
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Garfield Township1,511 people · $194K homes
G
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Greenfield Township789 people · $183K homes

Towns like Gardner

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Lowe Township1,775 people · $159K homes
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Edgington Township1,505 people · $181K homes
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Martin Township1,222 people · $146K homes
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Hennepin929 people · $168K 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.

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