Living in Springfield, IL
Mid-size city in Illinois
Springfield is a mid-size city in Illinois, home to about 114,000 people, with 219,000 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 Springfield a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $194k and rents for $1,610 a month
- Mild summers: highs around 84°F
- Dog-friendly: 7 dog parks within 9 mi
- Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Smaller job market: about 219,000 people live within 31 mi
- Higher taxes: about $2,002 state income tax per resident, 2.08% property tax
- Fewer graduates: 35% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Springfield ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Springfield: common questions
What is the cost of living in Springfield?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $194k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,610 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Springfield?
Illinois collects about $2,002 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.08% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Springfield safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.0× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Springfield?
Springfield has cold winters: winter days average around 39°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 22″ of snow a year.
Does Springfield get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and cold waves: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.53 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Springfield?
The nearest major airport is STL, about 82 mi away.
How Springfield scores
Each bar compares Springfield with the other 1143 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).
Places like Springfield
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.
Nearby
See all the best places to live in Illinois.
Is Springfield right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.