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Compare towns

Marengo vs Harvard

13 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+31% in Marengo) and age 65+ (+6.2 pts in Marengo).

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Marengo, ILHomes around $366KIllinois · 7,040 people
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Harvard, ILHomes around $279KIllinois · 9,598 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.

MarengoHomes around $366K
Housing$366K typical home23% above the IL typical home Outdoors#334 most conserved land in IL2.1 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 68%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Marengo →
HarvardHomes around $279K
Housing$279K typical home6% below the IL typical home Health53% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SafetySafer than 71%of U.S. towns we grade All about Harvard →
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.

Home values+31%
Homes cost more in Marengo
Marengo $229,900Harvard $175,400
Age 65++6.2 pts
Marengo has more people 65 and up
Marengo 17.2%Harvard 11%
Property tax bill+18%
Tax bills are bigger in Marengo
Marengo $5,234Harvard $4,431
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $570 more a month in Marengo

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.

Marengo$2,620/mo
Typical home $366K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.28% · or rent about $1,176/mo · Housing →
Harvard$2,050/mo
Typical home $279K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.53% · or rent about $1,183/mo · Housing →

The difference: $570 a month, about $6,800 a year, between Marengo and Harvard.

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

Marengo places higher on 12 of 21 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.

Safety
B+MarengoSafer than 65% of U.S. towns B+HarvardSafer than 71% of U.S. towns
Health
B+MarengoHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns B−HarvardHealthier than 47% of U.S. towns
12Marengo
9Harvard

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 669 towns #237#656 Most activeHealth · 861 towns #379#776 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 861 towns #507#835 Lowest depressionHealth · 861 towns #565#294 Most conserved landOutdoors · 838 towns #334#569 Shortest commuteGetting around · 862 towns #676#442 HealthiestHealth · 861 towns #387#559 Most remote workersWork · 849 towns #582#735

Left end = #1 in Illinois. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Marengo’s rankings →

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
MarengoHarvard
Snow a year31″32″
January low13°F—
July high84°F—
Growing season (days)166d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)25th10th
Outdoors & history
MarengoHarvard
Trails2 mi3 mi
Conserved land4.9%2.1%
Settled18351867
National Register places2—
Archive photos—6
Famous people born here—13
Community
MarengoHarvard
Library hours a week58 hrs60 hrs
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

13 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MarengoHarvardMarengoHarvard
Marengo ↔ Harvard13 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.

MarengoHarvard
People
Population 7,040Lowest 9,598Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1%Lowest +0.2%Highest
Median age 31.9±4.8Highest 18% below IL 28±3.2Lowest 28% below IL
Marengo and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26%±5.9Lowest IL: 21.8% 32.9%±4.3Highest IL: 21.8%
Harvard and Marengo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.2%±3.8Highest IL: 17% 11%±2.2Lowest IL: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.4%Lowest IL: 37.8% 18.7%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.2%±3Highest IL: 6.3% 3.6%±1.5Lowest IL: 6.3%
Marengo and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $73,523±$27kHighest 12% below IL $67,617±$9kLowest 19% below IL
Marengo and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $229,900±$10kHighest 13% below IL $175,400±$11kLowest 33% below IL
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,176±$220Lowest 8% below IL $1,183±$66Highest 7% below IL
Harvard and Marengo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,234Highest about the IL average $4,431Lowest 16% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.1%±20.5Highest IL: 47.9% 54.5%±17.8Lowest IL: 47.9%
Marengo and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 15.7%Highest IL: 11.8% 11.8%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 63.1%Highest IL: 67.1% 59.7%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974Lowest 3 yrs newer than IL 1980Highest 9 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 8% above IL 26 minLowest 6% below IL
Work from home 8%±3.5Highest IL: 15.9% 5.1%±2.3Lowest IL: 15.9%
Marengo and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 9.3%Lowest 13.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.3 miHighest 22.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.55Lowest 0.71Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Chicago (8%)Chicago (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HarvardFew work in Marengo
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.9%Highest 2.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 2.1 miLowest 2.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 7Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 40.2Lowest 42.3Highest
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.

Marengo neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marengo’s Town Square.

Harvard neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Harvard’s Town Square.

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Bordering Marengo

R
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Riley

Towns like Marengo

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Marengo Township7,253 people · $235K homes
C
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Chemung Township9,051 people · $184K homes
P
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Posen5,292 people · $173K homes
G
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Genoa5,492 people · $225K 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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