Alton, IL vs Merced, CA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Alton

77.1

#275 nationally

Merced

64.3

#1702 nationally

Alton leads in cost of living index (84 vs 121). Merced leads in crime level (21.5 vs 26.4). Merced leads in median household income ($59,233 vs $49,439).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric	Alton, IL	Merced, CA
WhereAtHome Score	77.1 (#275)	64.3 (#1702)
Population	25,006	93,692
Typical Home Value (ZHVI)	$105,039	$397,570
Median Household Income	$49,439	$59,233
Average Commute	23.4 min	27 min
Walk Score	39	42
Crime Level	26.4	21.5
School Rating	N/A	N/A
Cost of Living Index	84	121
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored	R+13.3	R+4.4