City comparison
Aurora, IL is about 20 miles (30 km) from Elgin, IL in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 24 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Aurora, IL to Elgin, IL takes about 2 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Aurora has a population of 181,405, vs 114,190 in Elgin — about 1.6× larger by population. By land area, Aurora covers about 45 sq mi vs 38 sq mi for Elgin.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Aurora | Elgin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,462/mo | $1,190/mo | 22.9% higher in Aurora |
| Median home value | $241,600 | $242,500 | 0.4% higher in Elgin |
| Median household income | $85,943 | $85,998 | 0.1% higher in Elgin |
| Groceries index | 106.3 | 106.3 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 84.3 | 84.3 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 100.2 | 100.2 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 100.4 | 100.4 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Aurora, you'd need $99,218 in Elgin to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Elgin, IL is about 0.8% cheaper overall than Aurora, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Aurora, you'd need about $79,375 in Elgin to keep the same standard of living.