Bridgeport vs Elgin
The short version
- Elgin is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 3% lower than in the Bridgeport area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $273,000 in Elgin and $274,900 in Bridgeport.
- Households earn more in Elgin ($90,282 vs $58,685 median).
- Bridgeport has the warmer winter: January highs of 38°F vs 30°F.
Side by side
| Bridgeport, CT | Elgin, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 152,273 | 115,476 |
| Growth since 2020 | +2.5% | +0.6% |
| People per square mile | 9,479 | 3,025 |
| Median age | 36.7 | 36.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23% | 27% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $58,685 | $90,282 |
| Median home value | $274,900 | $273,000 |
| Home value to income | 4.7× | 3.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,450 | $1,361 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 106.9 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 150.5 | 112.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $80,100 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 43% | 72% |
| Top state income tax | 6.99% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.35% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 30.5 | 28.2 |
| Work from home | 8% | 13% |
| Take public transit | 7% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 9% | 6.1% |
| Poverty rate | 21% | 9.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 38° / 24° | 30° / 14° |
| July high / low | 83° / 68° | 84° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 44 in | 40 in |
| Snowfall per year | 34 in | 32 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 9 | 15 |
| Nights below freezing | 92 | 139 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | n/a | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | n/a | 94.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 65% | 30% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.1% | +6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +53.3% | +53% |
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: Bridgeport: May to October. Elgin: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Bridgeport weather by month and Elgin weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $80,100 in Bridgeport and $77,700 in Elgin. Moving from Bridgeport to Elgin, you would need about $72,700 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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