Compare towns
Smithboro vs Calhoun
72 miles apart. Close on almost everything the Census measures, so the differences below are the small ones.
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.
★ What stands out · Monthly cost A typical home costs $760 more a month in Smithboro 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 payment3.5% 10% 20% Rate %
Smithboro $1,120 /mo
Typical home $174K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.40% · Housing →
Calhoun $360 /mo
Typical home $53K (Census) · tax rate 1.82% · Housing →
The difference: $760 a month , about $9,100 a year , between Smithboro and Calhoun.
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
Smithboro Calhoun
Growing season (days) — 189d
Outdoors & history
Smithboro Calhoun
Community
Smithboro Calhoun
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 72 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Smithboro ↔ Calhoun 72 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.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Smithboro Calhoun
People
Population
164 Lowest
227 Highest
Median age
33.3 ±12.4 Highest
15% below IL
30.3 ±4 Lowest
22% below IL
Smithboro and Calhoun are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
25% ±14.7 Lowest
IL: 21.8%
32.2% ±8.7 Highest
IL: 21.8%
Calhoun and Smithboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
12.2% ±14.6 Highest
IL: 17%
10.6% ±11.1 Lowest
IL: 17%
Smithboro and Calhoun are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
2.1% Highest
IL: 37.8%
0% Lowest
IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.4% ±9 Highest
IL: 6.3%
0% ±8.1 Lowest
IL: 6.3%
Smithboro and Calhoun are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$44,375 ±$38k Lowest
47% below IL
$76,250 ±$41k Highest
9% below IL
Calhoun and Smithboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$67,700 ±$29k Highest
74% below IL
$53,400 ±$8k Lowest
80% below IL
Smithboro and Calhoun are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$950 Lowest
82% below IL
$971 Highest
82% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0% ±100
IL: 47.9%
0% ±100
IL: 47.9%
Below poverty line
25.6% Highest
IL: 11.8%
5.8% Lowest
IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.7% Lowest
IL: 67.1%
91.5% Highest
IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year
1967 Highest
4 yrs older than IL
1956 Lowest
15 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
22 min Highest
22% below IL
20 min Lowest
29% below IL
Work from home
0% ±22.8 Lowest
IL: 15.9%
28.3% ±23.7 Highest
IL: 15.9%
Calhoun and Smithboro 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
27.8 mi Highest
19.8 mi Lowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.26 Highest
0.00 Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town
Greenville (26%) Olney (28%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Calhoun Few work in Smithboro
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town
0.2% Highest
0% Lowest
Trailsmapped miles
0.0 mi Lowest
0.3 mi Highest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.0 mi Lowest
0.3 mi Highest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
0
0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
25.9 Highest
25.4 Lowest
Illinois average“±” Census margin of error ACS 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.
Smithboro or Calhoun: which would you pick? →
What’s it really like to live in Smithboro? →
Moving to Smithboro: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Smithboro’s Town Square.
Calhoun or Smithboro: which would you pick? →
What’s it really like to live in Calhoun? →
Moving to Calhoun: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Calhoun’s Town Square.
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Bordering Smithboro Towns like Smithboro 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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