East Alton, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In East Alton, IL Summary

Cost of living in East Alton research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means East Alton is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in East Alton is 81, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in East Alton is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • East Alton ranks as the #15 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • East Alton ranks as the #158 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in East Alton is $98,604.

  • The median income in East Alton is $46,926.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
81
East Alton's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in East Alton, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, East Alton has an overall cost of living index of 81, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, East Alton has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in East Alton ranks as #15 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies East Alton ranks as the #321 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in East Alton, check out:

15 out of 336
In Illinois
158 out of 6,489
In America

East Alton Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in East Alton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in East Alton is 93.

  • The Groceries index in East Alton is 98.

  • The Health index in East Alton is 91.

  • The Housing index in East Alton is 51.

  • The Transportation index in East Alton is 96.

  • The Utilities index in East Alton is 104.

Living Expense East Alton Illinois National Average
Overall 81 97 100
Services 93 95 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 91 93 100
Housing 51 95 100
Transportation 96 102 100
Utilities 104 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
East Alton Cost of Living Vs. IL

East Alton, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in East Alton is $98,604.

  • The Median Rent in East Alton is $819.

  • The Median Income in East Alton is $46,926.

  • The Home Value To Income in East Alton is 2.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in East Alton is 0.21x.

Statistic East Alton Illinois United States
Median Home Value $98,604 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $819 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $46,926 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.1x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.18x 0.21x
$98,604
Median Home Value
$819
Median Rent
$46,926
Median Income

East Alton, IL Costs By Category

Detailed East Alton Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item East Alton Illinois
Shampoo $1.11 $1.28
Movie $11.28 $12.13
Bowling $16.92 $18
Haircut $21.19 $24.26
Beauty Salon $40.57 $45.56

Detailed East Alton Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item East Alton Illinois
Ground Beef $6.4 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.36 $1.57
Milk $4.5 $4.67
Potatoes $5.28 $4.93
Pizza $10.84 $12.09
Beer $9.47 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed East Alton Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item East Alton Illinois
Optometrist $125.72 $125.68
Doctor $124.51 $135.78
Dentist $100.78 $113.29

Detailed East Alton Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item East Alton Illinois
Gasoline $3.2 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.0 $59.92

Detailed East Alton Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item East Alton Illinois
All Electricity $133.84 $193.99
Phone $188.69 $192.25

East Alton SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
4
Affordability
9
Diversity
5
Safety
8
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around East Alton

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around East Alton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Edwardsville, IL has a cost of living index of 100, 1.2x East Alton.

  • Alton, IL has a cost of living index of 83, 1.0x East Alton.

  • Collinsville, IL has a cost of living index of 89, 1.1x East Alton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. East Alton
Edwardsville, IL 26,543 100 1.2x
Alton, IL 25,430 83 1.0x
Collinsville, IL 24,126 89 1.1x
Godfrey, IL 17,743 94 1.2x
Glen Carbon, IL 13,521 102 1.3x
Troy, IL 10,889 94 1.2x
Wood River, IL 10,315 83 1.0x
Bethalto, IL 9,244 89 1.1x
Maryville, IL 8,280 99 1.2x
Jerseyville, IL 7,432 84 1.0x

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