2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Rock Island, IL vs Carbondale, IL

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Highlights
Are people in Carbondale older or younger than people in Rock Island?
- The Median Age in Carbondale is 10.6 years younger than in Rock Island.

Are housing costs cheaper in Carbondale or Rock Island?
- Carbondale housing costs are 3.6% more expensive than Rock Island housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Carbondale or Rock Island?
- The average commute for residents of Carbondale is 3.9 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Rock Island.

Things to do in Rock Island?
Rock Island, Illinois lies within Rock Island County giving tourists leisure areas such as Sunderbruch Park combined with employment opportunities at Trinity Muscatine Campus along with entertainment opportunities at Rialto Square Theatre Waipahu

Things to do in Carbondale?
Carbondale, Illinois is a vibrant city located in the heart of Southern Illinois. Visitors will find plenty to do and explore, including popular attractions like the Giant City State Park and Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. The town boasts a thriving cultural scene with festivals, events, and live music venues all year round. Shopping enthusiasts will enjoy browsing through the abundance of eclectic specialty stores and boutiques. Those looking for outdoor adventure can take part in activities like kayaking or mountain biking at nearby Shawnee National Forest. With its diverse culture and plenty of recreational opportunities, Carbondale is an ideal destination for visitors looking to experience the best that Southern Illinois has to offer.

 Rock Island, ILCarbondale, ILUnited States
 Population  Unlock22,388329,725,481
 Median Income$50,965  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock24.838.4
 Avg. Home Price$112,200  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock6.7%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time17.84  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Rock Island    3 Reviews

Over 17 years ago

Pros: 1. Extremely low cost of living 2. Affordable place to live Cons: 1. High crime rate 2. Poor school system 3. Not much to  More

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Rock Island has a varied background and contains many cultural and historic areas. It has been improving its school system and is in a metropolitan area which contains  More

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Over 19 years ago

I just moved here for work one year ago. Moving from San Francisco here was a shock but ultimatelly good. The community is a typical midwestern small town. It is part  More

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Reviews for Carbondale    7 Reviews

I've lived in C'dale for over 30 years. I got an excellent education here - Giant City School was great, though fairly insular and not very diverse (among its drawbacks  More

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Over 17 years ago

I like Carbondale. It is relaxing and an easy way to go about getting a college degree. It has its ups and downs, mainly with the people in the town not recognizing the  More

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All of the comments are negative here and seem to me to be misleading. The idea that you have to have a lot of money in Carbondale is ridiculous. The price of cultural  More

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