Blaine vs Evanston
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $352,400 in Blaine and $481,200 in Evanston.
- Households earn more in Blaine ($106,801 vs $96,434 median).
- Evanston has the warmer winter: January highs of 32°F vs 22°F.
- Blaine is growing faster: +9.1% since 2020 vs -2.2%.
- Commutes are shorter in Blaine (25 vs 28 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Blaine, MN | Evanston, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 76,603 | 76,380 |
| Growth since 2020 | +9.1% | -2.2% |
| People per square mile | 2,328 | 9,819 |
| Median age | 37.5 | 38.4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37% | 70% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $106,801 | $96,434 |
| Median home value | $352,400 | $481,200 |
| Home value to income | 3.3× | 5.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,705 | $1,762 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 104.8 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 111.8 | 112.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $78,600 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 85% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | 9.85% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.14% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.5 | 27.5 |
| Work from home | 21% | 29% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 12% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.2% | 6.2% |
| Poverty rate | 7.2% | 11.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 22° / 2° | 32° / 19° |
| July high / low | 82° / 60° | 85° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 29 in | 38 in |
| Snowfall per year | 44 in | 38 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 10 | 17 |
| Nights below freezing | 172 | 121 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 88.0 | 100.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 55% | 30% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.6% | +6.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +27.3% | +45.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Blaine: May to September. Evanston: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Blaine weather by month and Evanston weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $78,600 in Blaine and $77,700 in Evanston. Moving from Blaine to Evanston, you would need about $74,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Blaine and Evanston
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Blaine and Evanston.
Which would you pick?
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