2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Ottawa, IL vs Decatur, IL

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Highlights
Are people in Decatur older or younger than people in Ottawa?
- The Median Age in Decatur is 0.2 years older than in Ottawa.

Are housing costs cheaper in Decatur or Ottawa?
- Decatur housing costs are 44.8% less expensive than Ottawa housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Decatur or Ottawa?
- The average commute for residents of Decatur is 3.6 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Ottawa.

Things to do in Ottawa?
Ottawa, IL is an inviting town northwest of Chicago full of amazing places to explore like La Salle Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area displaying its distinctive landscape or Canal Corridor Association hosting outdoor activities; their annual event Ottawa Two Rivers Wine Festival brings people together with food and games every April.

Things to do in Decatur?
Decatur, Illinois is a vibrant city located in the Midwestern United States. Home to attractions such as Scovill Zoo and Nelson Park, visitors can enjoy outdoor activities and nature when visiting Decatur. There are also plenty of museums, galleries, and performance venues such as Macon County History Museum and Richland Community College Performance Center. For entertainment, visitors can explore downtown shopping districts and restaurants along with movie theaters and live music clubs. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an exciting night out, Decatur has something for everyone!

 Ottawa, ILDecatur, ILUnited States
 Population  Unlock71,309329,725,481
 Median Income$61,083  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock39.938.4
 Avg. Home Price$151,000  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock10.3%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time20.1  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Ottawa    6 Reviews

Over 8 years ago

Have all of the radiation sites been cleaned up? If not, did the tornado stir up and blast some radiation from these sites to other  More

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Over 11 years ago

Good location with low cost of living and close enough to Chicago and suburbs to take advantage of their  More

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Over 15 years ago

Although Ottawa is a very nice place to live, living here is becoming rediculous...as taxes go. I bought a house less then four years ago and my taxed went from  More

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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

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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

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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

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