| Index | Scales Mound | Illinois | National | 
| Cost of living | 88 | 96 | 100 | 
| Goods & Services | 97 | 97 | 100 | 
| Groceries | 98 | 98 | 100 | 
| Health care | 91 | 95 | 100 | 
| Housing | 66 | 95 | 100 | 
| Transportation | 104 | 103 | 100 | 
| Utilities | 94 | 89 | 100 | 

 
				
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				| Cost of living index | |
| Goods & Services index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | 
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) | 
| Owners | $69,583 | $5,799 | $1,623 | $2,088 | 
| Renters | $42,656 | $3,555 | $995 | $1,280 | 
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax | 
| Illinois | 6.25% | 10.25% | 
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) | 
| Illinois | 4.95% | 4.95% | 
| Item | Scales Mound | National avg. | Difference | 
| Haircut | $23.86 | $24.26 | 1.7% | 
| Beauty Salon | $34.11 | $45.56 | 25.1% | 
| Toothpaste | $3.59 | $3.70 | 3.0% | 
| Shampoo | $1.36 | $1.28 | 6.5% | 
| Movie | $8.68 | $12.13 | 28.4% | 
| Bowling | $15.39 | $18.00 | 14.5% | 
| Item | Scales Mound | National avg. | Difference | 
| Ground Beef | $5.38 | $5.84 | 7.9% | 
| Fried Chicken | $1.40 | $1.57 | 10.8% | 
| Milk | $4.77 | $4.67 | 2.1% | 
| Potatoes | $4.76 | $4.93 | 3.6% | 
| Pizza | $12.46 | $12.09 | 3.1% | 
| Beer | $9.93 | $10.41 | 4.6% | 
| Item | Scales Mound | National avg. | Difference | 
| Optometrist | $127.39 | $125.68 | 1.4% | 
| Doctor | $130.00 | $135.78 | 4.3% | 
| Dentist | $85.78 | $113.29 | 24.3% | 
| Ibuprofen | $10.82 | $10.65 | 1.6% | 
| Lipitor | $498.96 | $468.60 | 6.5% | 
| Item | Scales Mound | National avg. | Difference | 
| Home Price | $117,700.00 | $184,700.00 | 36.3% | 
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $1,665.29 | $2,346.69 | 29.0% | 
| Apartment Rent | $671.00 | $949.00 | 29.3% | 
| Item | Scales Mound | National avg. | Difference | 
| Gasoline | $3.44 | $3.46 | 0.5% | 
| Tire Balancing | $68.44 | $59.92 | 14.2% | 
| Item | Scales Mound | National avg. | Difference | 
| All Electricity | $176.50 | $193.99 | 9.0% | 
| Phone | $187.56 | $192.25 | 2.4% | 
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. | 
| Apple River, IL | 333 | 81 | 18.6% | 
| Gratiot, WI | 270 | 82 | 17.8% | 
| Stockton, IL | 1,656 | 84 | 16.5% | 
| Warren, IL | 1,208 | 84 | 16.5% | 
| Elizabeth, IL | 906 | 84 | 15.6% | 
| Scales Mound, IL | 502 | 88 | 12.3% | 
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. | 
| Madison, CA | 502 | 105 | 5.1% | 
| Pomeroy, IA | 502 | 81 | 19.2% | 
| Rothsay, MN | 502 | 86 | 14.4% | 
| Glenaire, MO | 502 | 97 | 3.3% | 
| Jane, MO | 502 | 93 | 6.6% | 
| Scales Mound, IL | 502 | 88 | 12.3% |