2025 Compare Cities Education:
Elgin, IL vs Decatur, IL

Change Cities
Highlights
- Decatur spends 17.8% less per student than Elgin.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 9.7% higher in Decatur than in Elgin. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Decatur had 12.1% more residents who had graduated High School compared to Elgin
 Elgin, ILDecatur, ILUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$14,460$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$15,271  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$6,704$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio14.42  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock37214573
 Students per Counselor659  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock2.6%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.8.2%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock90.0%88.9%
 Some College Educ.21.6%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock7.6%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.26.0%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock5.9%9.3%
 Professional Degree1.0%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock0.8%1.5%
Reviews for Elgin    9 Reviews

When I first moved to Elgin 2 years ago I did not like it. I lived in a mobile home park near the river and highway 90 in a senior community that over prices it's lot  More

   |    Reply

Hi, as a way of updating the post for Elgin and providing a rebuttal for some of the negative reviews, I've decided to post on this board. I've lived in Elgin since  More

   |    Reply

Over 15 years ago

I have lived in Elgin my whole life and it is very sad to read these comments about my town.... I'm a senior at South Elgin High School and I will be graduating this  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Elgin

Reviews for Decatur    14 Reviews

I was sent here by the company I worked for in the '90's and was not initially impressed with midwest living. However, over the years I got used to living in the "Pride  More

   |    Reply

I grew up in Decatur and I still have family there, but it depresses me to see what it has become. It has a high unemployment rate, many business have closed or are run  More

   |    Reply

Over 14 years ago

If you enjoy drinking & driving, Decatur's fifteen drive-thru liquor windows, three times the # of drive-thru's than the ten largest cities in Illinois, COMBINED, will  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Decatur


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.