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Lerna vs Broughton

103 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (17× in Lerna) and jobs per worker (3.8× in Broughton).

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Lerna, ILHomes around $198KIllinois · 226 people
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Broughton, ILA small town of 206Illinois · 206 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.

LernaHomes around $198K
Housing$198K typical home33% below the IL typical home All about Lerna →
BroughtonA small town of 206
Quiet strengthsBroughton doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Broughton →
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.

Street grid17×
Lerna has the more walkable street grid
Lerna 215Broughton 12.7
Jobs per worker3.8×
Broughton is more of a job hub
Broughton 0.15Lerna 0.04
Property tax bill+79%
Tax bills are bigger in Lerna
Lerna $1,339Broughton $750
Average commute8 min
Lerna has the shorter commute
Broughton 29 minLerna 21 min
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
LernaBroughton
Snow a year15″13″
January low20°F22°F
July high86°F89°F
Growing season (days)199d190d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)74th64th
Outdoors & history
LernaBroughton
Archive photos1—
Famous people born here1—
Community
LernaBroughton
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

103 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

LernaILBroughtonIL
Lerna ↔ Broughton103 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.

LernaBroughton
People
Population 226Highest 206Lowest
Median age 31.4±17 19% below IL 31.4±8 19% below IL
Kids under 18 22.1%±6.2Lowest IL: 21.8% 30.1%±7.1Highest IL: 21.8%
Broughton and Lerna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24.8%±8.6Highest IL: 17% 12.1%±16.7Lowest IL: 17%
Lerna and Broughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11.3%Highest IL: 37.8% 5.7%Lowest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.4%±6.5Highest IL: 6.3% 3.9%±9.1Lowest IL: 6.3%
Lerna and Broughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $67,679±$29kHighest 19% below IL $54,375±$25kLowest 35% below IL
Lerna and Broughton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $94,400±$29k 64% below IL —
Rentmedian gross, monthly $850±$248 33% below IL —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,339Highest 75% below IL $750Lowest 86% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 15%±96.2Lowest IL: 47.9% 75%±100Highest IL: 47.9%
Broughton and Lerna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 14.6%Lowest IL: 11.8% 22.8%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 77%Lowest IL: 67.1% 81%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1957Lowest 14 yrs older than IL 1964Highest 7 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 23% below IL 29 minHighest 4% above IL
Work from home 6.5%±5.3Highest IL: 15.9% 0%±16Lowest IL: 15.9%
Lerna and Broughton 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 18.8 miLowest 36.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.04Lowest 0.15Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Mattoon (30%)Mount Vernon (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BroughtonFew work in Lerna
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 215Highest 12.7Lowest
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.

Lerna neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lerna’s Town Square.

Broughton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Broughton’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Illinois 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.

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