Effingham, IL Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Effingham, IL Summary

Cost of living in Effingham 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 Effingham 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 Effingham is 85, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Effingham ranks as the #46 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Effingham ranks as the #511 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Effingham is $235,416.

  • The median income in Effingham is $65,718.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
85
Effingham's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Effingham, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Effingham has an overall cost of living index of 85, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Effingham has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Effingham ranks as #46 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Effingham ranks as the #290 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Effingham, check out:

46 out of 336
In Illinois
511 out of 6,489
In America

Effingham Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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

  • The Services index in Effingham is 83.

  • The Groceries index in Effingham is 96.

  • The Health index in Effingham is 83.

  • The Housing index in Effingham is 70.

  • The Transportation index in Effingham is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Effingham is 90.

Living Expense Effingham Illinois National Average
Overall 85 97 100
Services 83 95 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 83 93 100
Housing 70 95 100
Transportation 95 102 100
Utilities 90 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Effingham Cost of Living Vs. IL

Effingham, 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 Effingham is $235,416.

  • The Median Rent in Effingham is $696.

  • The Median Income in Effingham is $65,718.

  • The Home Value To Income in Effingham is 3.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Effingham is 0.13x.

Statistic Effingham Illinois United States
Median Home Value $235,416 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $696 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $65,718 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.6x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.13x 0.18x 0.21x
$235,416
Median Home Value
$696
Median Rent
$65,718
Median Income

Effingham, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Effingham Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Effingham Illinois
Shampoo $1.22 $1.28
Movie $14.03 $12.13
Bowling $15.58 $18
Haircut $35.5 $24.26
Beauty Salon $44.28 $45.56

Detailed Effingham Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Effingham Illinois
Ground Beef $5.86 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.57
Milk $4.69 $4.67
Potatoes $5.11 $4.93
Pizza $13.74 $12.09
Beer $10.08 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.85 $3.7

Detailed Effingham Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Effingham Illinois
Optometrist $117.14 $125.68
Doctor $149.89 $135.78
Dentist $110.0 $113.29

Detailed Effingham Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Effingham Illinois
Gasoline $4.03 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.1 $59.92

Detailed Effingham Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Effingham Illinois
All Electricity $126.6 $193.99
Phone $198.23 $192.25

Effingham SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Effingham

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

  • Charleston, IL has a cost of living index of 92, 1.1x Effingham.

  • Mattoon, IL has a cost of living index of 78, 0.9x Effingham.

  • Olney, IL has a cost of living index of 85, 1.0x Effingham.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Effingham
Charleston, IL 17,212 92 1.1x
Mattoon, IL 16,334 78 0.9x
Olney, IL 8,864 85 1.0x
Greenville, IL 7,159 83 1.0x
Robinson, IL 7,005 85 1.0x
Mount Zion, IL 6,076 84 1.0x
Hillsboro, IL 5,693 82 1.0x
Pana, IL 5,277 74 0.9x

Articles About Illinois

Enjoy The Snack?