Dearborn vs Elgin
The short version
- Dearborn is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 3% lower than in the Elgin area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $218,800 in Dearborn and $273,000 in Elgin.
- Households earn more in Elgin ($90,282 vs $65,324 median).
- Dearborn gets far more snow: 45 inches a year vs 32.
- Elgin is growing faster: +0.6% since 2020 vs -4%.
- Commutes are shorter in Dearborn (22 vs 28 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Dearborn, MI | Elgin, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 105,611 | 115,476 |
| Growth since 2020 | -4% | +0.6% |
| People per square mile | 4,356 | 3,025 |
| Median age | 33.3 | 36.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35% | 27% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $65,324 | $90,282 |
| Median home value | $218,800 | $273,000 |
| Home value to income | 3.3× | 3.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,327 | $1,361 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.3 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 94.7 | 112.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,200 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 68% | 72% |
| Top state income tax | 4.25% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 6% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 21.7 | 28.2 |
| Work from home | 13% | 13% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.6% | 6.1% |
| Poverty rate | 24.3% | 9.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 32° / 19° | 30° / 14° |
| July high / low | 84° / 64° | 84° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 34 in | 40 in |
| Snowfall per year | 45 in | 32 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 13 | 15 |
| Nights below freezing | 120 | 139 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.0 | 94.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 36% | 30% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.2% | +6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +43.9% | +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: Dearborn: May to October. Elgin: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Dearborn 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 $75,200 in Dearborn and $77,700 in Elgin. Moving from Dearborn to Elgin, you would need about $77,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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