Effingham, IL

Census place 1722736 · pop 12,342

D55/ 100
😐 Meh
C
in IL
📍 Illinois ranks #39 of 50 states →
🏆 Commute13 min · top 2%
🚽 Growth-1.8% · bottom 20%
Taxes
1.62% property · US 0.99%8.96% sales · US 7.00%4.95% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Population growth (5yr)-1.8%20

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-1.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Property-tax burden1.62%21

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.62% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Property crime rate2009/100k29

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

2009 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Poverty rate14.6%36

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

14.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Adult smoking14.6%37

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

14.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Broadband access90.0%38

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

90.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Poor mental health17.4%46

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

17.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Violent crime rate220/100k46

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

220 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Median household income$72,37747

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$72,377 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Bachelor's degree or higher29.1%48

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

29.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Adult obesity35.0%50

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

35.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Physical inactivity24.9%51

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

24.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Income inequality0.4354

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Homeownership66.1%56

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

66.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Air quality (AQI)County-level41 AQI62

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

41 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level1 days62

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Uninsured adults8.2%64

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

8.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.2%71

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.2% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$177,50077

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$177,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level62/10081

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

62/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time13 min98

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

13 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Not measured for Effingham: Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Effingham, IL a good place to live?
By the numbers, Effingham scores 55/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 21 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is population growth (5yr). Illinois overall ranks #39 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Effingham, IL?
Effingham reports 220 violent crimes per 100k and 2009 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Effingham, IL expensive to live in?
Effingham has a median home value of $177,500 — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Effingham, IL?
Its weakest measured area is population growth (5yr) (-1.8%) — 20/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Effingham, IL best at?
Its strongest measured area is commute time (13 min) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.