Cost of living in Marengo 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 Marengo 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 Marengo is 92, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Marengo is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Marengo ranks as the #92 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
Marengo ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Marengo is $350,043.
The median income in Marengo is $72,586.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Marengo has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Marengo has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Illinois's index of 97.
The standard of living in Marengo ranks as #92 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Marengo ranks as the #244 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Marengo, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Marengo. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Marengo is 90.
The Groceries index in Marengo is 99.
The Health index in Marengo is 99.
The Housing index in Marengo is 89.
The Transportation index in Marengo is 109.
The Utilities index in Marengo is 86.
| Living Expense | Marengo | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 92 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 90 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 99 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 89 | 95 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 109 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 86 | 91 | 100 | |
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 Marengo is $350,043.
The Median Rent in Marengo is $1,077.
The Median Income in Marengo is $72,586.
The Home Value To Income in Marengo is 4.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Marengo is 0.18x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Marengo. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Crystal Lake, IL has a cost of living index of 104, 1.1x Marengo.
Algonquin, IL has a cost of living index of 110, 1.2x Marengo.
Lake in the Hills, IL has a cost of living index of 104, 1.1x Marengo.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Marengo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Lake, IL | 40,436 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Algonquin, IL | 29,904 | 110 | 1.2x |
| Lake in the Hills, IL | 28,853 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Huntley, IL | 27,859 | 107 | 1.2x |
| Woodstock, IL | 26,316 | 93 | 1.0x |
| Sycamore, IL | 18,243 | 96 | 1.0x |
| Cary, IL | 17,875 | 115 | 1.2x |
| Harvard, IL | 9,875 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Gilberts, IL | 8,389 | 117 | 1.3x |
| Hampshire, IL | 8,351 | 110 | 1.2x |