Granite City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Alton
Granite City
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 10%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Growth
39 · Bottom 30%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs72 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs60 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 23%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 12%
vs42 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Alton | Granite City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,279 | 26,549 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,568 | $59,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,314 | $31,559 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,613/sq mi | 1,396/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $103,700 | $104,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,015 | $834 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.9% | 72.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 28 | 21 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | 425.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.4" | 40.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 40.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.46 | 17.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.7% | 68.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Alton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hail.
Granite City
Elevated or high exposure: hail, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Alton
55
Your Score
52
Area Score
Granite City
65
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Alton, IL · Granite City, IL · How this is calculated: methodology