O'Fallon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Alton
O'Fallon
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 10%
vs67 · Top 27%
Growth
39 · Bottom 30%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Climate
71 · Top 48%
vs71 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs43 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
18 · Bottom 9%
vs69 · Top 28%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 12%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Alton | O'Fallon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,279 | 32,262 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,568 | $105,982 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,314 | $54,265 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,613/sq mi | 2,041/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $103,700 | $295,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,015 | $1,332 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.9% | 70.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 52.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% | 6.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 28 | 200 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | -49.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.4" | 43.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.46 | 16.15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.2% | 36.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 12.6% | 38.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.7% | 27.4% | 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.
O'Fallon
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Alton, IL · O'Fallon, IL · How this is calculated: methodology