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Compare towns

Lena vs Morrison

40 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (17× in Morrison) and property tax bill (+41% in Lena).

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Lena, ILHomes around $213KIllinois · 2,761 people
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Morrison, ILHomes around $171KIllinois · 3,739 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.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $340 more a month in Lena

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.

Lena$1,520/mo
Typical home $213K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.28% · or rent about $664/mo · Housing →
Morrison$1,180/mo
Typical home $171K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.01% · or rent about $760/mo · Housing →

The difference: $340 a month, about $4,100 a year, between Lena and Morrison.

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

Morrison places higher on 11 of 19 IL lists

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.

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
LenaMorrison
Snow a year36″32″
January low12°F12°F
July high82°F83°F
Growing season (days)165d167d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)26th52nd
Outdoors & history
LenaMorrison
Trails0 mi2 mi
Conserved land3.6%4.6%
Settled1834—
National Register places22
Archive photos1512
Famous people born here113
Community
LenaMorrison
Library hours a week48 hrs35 hrs
Colleges in town—1
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

40 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Lena ↔ Morrison40 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.

LenaMorrison
People
Population 2,761Lowest 3,739Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.8%Lowest -2.5%Highest
Median age 41.2±7.3Lowest 6% above IL 41.4±4.2Highest 6% above IL
Morrison and Lena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.8%±4.7Highest IL: 21.8% 22.6%±5.8Lowest IL: 21.8%
Lena and Morrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.1%±4.3Highest IL: 17% 21.7%±3.3Lowest IL: 17%
Lena and Morrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24.6%Lowest IL: 37.8% 27.9%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2%±1.5Lowest IL: 6.3% 5.8%±1.8Highest IL: 6.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $72,663±$9kHighest 13% below IL $69,089±$6kLowest 17% below IL
Lena and Morrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $146,000±$13kHighest 45% below IL $118,000±$12kLowest 55% below IL
Rentmedian gross, monthly $664±$53Lowest 48% below IL $760±$164Highest 40% below IL
Morrison and Lena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,332Highest 37% below IL $2,366Lowest 55% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43%±14.3Highest IL: 47.9% 27.5%±14.2Lowest IL: 47.9%
Lena and Morrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 3.1%Lowest IL: 11.8% 8.1%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76.4%Lowest IL: 67.1% 78.1%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Highest same as IL 1958Lowest 13 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 6% below IL 18 minLowest 35% below IL
Work from home 10.8%±6.2Highest IL: 15.9% 7.1%±4.1Lowest IL: 15.9%
Lena and Morrison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 13.5%Lowest 23.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.3 miHighest 14.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.61Lowest 0.97Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Freeport (15%)Clinton (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MorrisonFew work in Lena
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.6%Lowest 4.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 1.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 6Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 54.6Lowest 76.0Highest
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.

Lena neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lena’s Town Square.

Morrison neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 6d

Morrison Size and Heart

1 neighbor in Morrison can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Lena and Morrison

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

Bordering Lena

Towns like Lena

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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