Places › Illinois › Quincy

Living in Quincy, IL

Small city in Illinois

Quincy is a small city in Illinois, home to about 39,000 people, with 85,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Quincy a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $191k and rents for $1,330 a month
  • Mild summers: highs around 85°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 8 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Strong healthcare: 1 top-rated (4–5★) hospital within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Smaller job market: about 85,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Fewer graduates: 27% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Quincy ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
39,000
85,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
39°F / 85°F
Average daily highs · 17″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$191k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,330/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
100
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,002
State income tax per resident · 1.64% property tax
Safety
1.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
8 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, cold waves
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Below average
Tests below US average · 17 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
27%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
STL
98 mi away

Living in Quincy: common questions

What is the cost of living in Quincy?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $191k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,330 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 100, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Quincy?

Illinois collects about $2,002 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.64% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Quincy safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.6× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Quincy?

Public schools in Quincy test below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 17 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Quincy?

Quincy has cold winters: winter days average around 39°F and summer days around 85°F, with roughly 17″ of snow a year.

Does Quincy get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, cold waves and heat waves: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.25 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Quincy?

The nearest major airport is STL, about 98 mi away.

How Quincy scores

Each bar compares Quincy with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietSuburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundSome transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAffordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunitySome community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesBelow average
💼Job marketPoor
🏥HealthcareGood
🏫SchoolsBelow average
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyPoor
🐕Dog-friendlyBelow average
⛰️OutdoorsBelow average
🎭CulturePoor
👮SafetyModerate crime
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyAverage
🌤️Mild summersGood
✈️AirportAverage

Places like Quincy

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Galesburg, ILSmall city40 $134k$1,200/moModerate crime Salina, KSSmall city35 $191k$1,220/moModerate crime Lima, OHSmall city42 $161k$1,340/moHigher crime Sioux City, IASmall city43 $218k$1,390/moModerate crime Topeka, KSMid-size city45 $205k$1,390/moHigher crime Marshalltown, IASmall city40 $180k$1,270/moSafe

Nearby

Wentzville, MOSmall city · 82 mi away53 $372k$1,570/moVery safe Columbia, MOCollege town · 85 mi away54 $287k$1,570/moSafe O'Fallon, MOSuburb · 87 mi away61 $355k$1,570/moVery safe Galesburg, ILSmall city · 88 mi away40 $134k$1,200/moModerate crime St. Peters, MOSuburb · 90 mi away60 $319k$1,570/moVery safe St. Charles, MOSuburb · 91 mi away61 $327k$1,570/moNo crime data

See all the best places to live in Illinois.

Is Quincy right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.