Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Tilton vs Christopher

165 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3.9× in Christopher) and growth since 2010 (+15.5 pts in Christopher).

×
Tilton, ILHomes around $84KIllinois · 2,453 people
×
Christopher, ILHomes around $61KIllinois · 2,570 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 $160 more a month in Tilton

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.

Tilton$550/mo
Typical home $84K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.60% · or rent about $877/mo · Housing →
Christopher$390/mo
Typical home $61K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.39% · or rent about $725/mo · Housing →

The difference: $160 a month, about $1,900 a year, between Tilton and Christopher.

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.

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
TiltonChristopher
Snow a year15″10″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)40th73rd
Outdoors & history
TiltonChristopher
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land5.8%—
Settled—1879
Archive photos—7
Famous people born here—6
Community
TiltonChristopher
Library hours a week—29 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

165 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Tilton ↔ Christopher165 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.

TiltonChristopher
People
Population 2,453Lowest 2,570Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.3%Lowest +13.2%Highest
Median age 48.3±6.6Highest 24% above IL 45.2±7.6Lowest 16% above IL
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 15.9%±4.8Lowest IL: 21.8% 22%±5.6Highest IL: 21.8%
Christopher and Tilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 25.9%±4.4Lowest IL: 17% 27%±6.1Highest IL: 17%
Christopher and Tilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 10.8%Lowest IL: 37.8% 13.9%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±2.2Highest IL: 6.3% 1.1%±1.1Lowest IL: 6.3%
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $55,697±$14kHighest 33% below IL $48,247±$11kLowest 42% below IL
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $70,400±$17kHighest 73% below IL $66,600±$3kLowest 75% below IL
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $877±$144Highest 31% below IL $725±$248Lowest 43% below IL
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,125Highest 79% below IL $929Lowest 82% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.6%±24.2Lowest IL: 47.9% 60.6%±26.4Highest IL: 47.9%
Christopher and Tilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.3%Lowest IL: 11.8% 20.8%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 75.2%Highest IL: 67.1% 72.6%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1963Highest 8 yrs older than IL 1950Lowest 21 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 16 minLowest 41% below IL 25 minHighest 10% below IL
Work from home 6.4%±6.2Highest IL: 15.9% 4.2%±3.2Lowest IL: 15.9%
Tilton and Christopher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.8%Lowest 8.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.3 miLowest 17.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.86Highest 0.36Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Danville (36%)Mount Vernon (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ChristopherFew work in Tilton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.8%Highest 1.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 46.9Lowest 185Highest
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.

Tilton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Tilton’s Town Square.

Christopher neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Christopher’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Tilton and Christopher

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

Bordering Tilton

Towns like Tilton

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.

Post to Tilton

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in