City comparison
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 | Elgin | Merced | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,190/mo | $1,197/mo | 0.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $242,500 | $322,600 | 24.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $85,998 | $59,233 | 45.2% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 102.5 | 101.9 | 0.5% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 88.9 | 121.6 | 26.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 92.3 | 100.1 | 7.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 92.9 | 98.0 | 5.2% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Elgin, you'd need $105,614 in Merced to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Elgin, IL is about 5.3% cheaper overall than Merced, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Elgin, you'd need about $84,491 in Merced to keep the same standard of living.