Cost Of Living in St. Elmo, IL

Get 300+ Local Insights for Any Address in St. Elmo, IL

Get Access to 300+ Local Data Points

A+

16%

Overall NAT. AVG.

3%

Groceries NAT. AVG.

50%

Housing NAT. AVG.

Date & Last Updated: These cost of living estimates reflect 2026 modeled data using U.S. Census housing inputs and AI-assisted city-level pricing models.

The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living score is 90, then the estimated cost of living is 10% lower than the national average. If the score is 110, then the estimated cost of living is 10% higher than average. The overall index is calculated using weighted estimates across major everyday expense categories, including housing (30%), groceries (16%), transportation (12%), healthcare (10%), utilities (8%), lifestyle and entertainment (8%), household expenses (8%), and education and childcare (8%). All values are AI-assisted city-level estimates designed for directional comparisons.
Index	St. Elmo	Illinois	National
Cost of living	84	98	100
Groceries	98	100	100
Health care	99	100	100
Housing	50	95	100
Transportation	100	101	100
Utilities	100	99	100
Lifestyle & Entertainment	94	100	100
Household Items	98	100	100
Education & Childcare	96	100	100

Does this Area Fit Your Budget?

Know the community before you call it home
Compare multiple areas side by side
Access over 300 data points for any address

GET REPORT →

Homes For Sale In St. Elmo, IL

E 1800 E

Highland, IL

Avenue

Avena Township, IL

309 S Locust St

Saint Elmo, IL

307 W 7th St

Saint Elmo, IL

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

The cost of living in St. Elmo is 15% lower than the Illinois average
The cost of living in St. Elmo is 16% lower than the national average
St. Elmo housing is 50% lower than the national average
Illinois general sales tax is 22% higher than the national average
Illinois state income tax is 91% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around St. Elmo

See all the best places to live around St. Elmo

Compare St. Elmo, IL Cost of Living

Write a review to give others more information about this area.

See all St. Elmo poll results

The best places in Illinois

Here are the best places to live in Illinois

Safest States In The US

Most Dangerous Cities In The US

These are the 10 cheapest cities in Illinois

Salary Calculator

This is how much you would need to earn in

Price difference in compared to

Cost of living index
Groceries index
Health care index
Housing index
Transportation index
Utilities index
Lifestyle index
Household index
Educare index

Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

Median Income	Per Year	Per Month	Max Budget (28% DTI)	Max Budget (36% DTI)
Owners	$69,671	$5,806	$1,626	$2,090
Renters	$35,366	$2,947	$825	$1,061

Illinois Sales Tax

State	General Sales Tax	With Max Surtax
Illinois	6.25%	10.25%

Illinois Income Tax

State	Income Tax (Low)	Income Tax (High)
Illinois	4.95%	4.95%

Nearby cities with low cost of living

City	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Herrick, IL	381	80	20.3%
St. Peter, IL	456	81	18.6%
Mason, IL	249	81	19.4%
Iola, IL	94	82	17.6%
Beecher City, IL	385	81	18.5%
St. Elmo, IL	1,505	84	16.4%

Cities with similar population

City	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Lake Don Pedro, CA	1,505	124	24.1%
Belle Plaine, KS	1,505	84	16.3%
Clarkson, KY	1,505	82	18.3%
Urania, LA	1,505	75	24.9%
Tonka Bay, MN	1,505	166	65.7%
St. Elmo, IL	1,505	84	16.4%