Carbondale receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Carbondale
East St. Louis
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 8%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs20 · Bottom 8%
Climate
73 · Top 36%
vs72 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
38 · Bottom 31%
vs43 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 26%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Schools
40 · Bottom 35%
vs13 · Bottom 4%
Access
97 · Top 23%
vs94 · Top 40%
Economic stability
20 · Bottom 2%
vs14 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Carbondale | East St. Louis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,158 | 17,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $32,128 | $35,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,315 | $23,036 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,268/sq mi | 1,293/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $127,900 | $52,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $771 | $847 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 26.4% | 60.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% | 7.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.2% | 15.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 37.4% | 32.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | -87.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.0" | 40.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.4 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 24.6 | 44.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.55 | 14.33 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 13.9% | 3.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 23.0% | 4.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 65.2% | 98.5% | 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
Carbondale
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
East St. Louis
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Carbondale
49
Your Score
46
Area Score
East St. Louis
45
Your Score
42
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Carbondale, IL · East St. Louis, IL · How this is calculated: methodology