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Living in
Glen Carbon.
About
Life in Glen Carbon
Living in Glen Carbon means settling into a quiet, family-oriented suburb that's close enough to St. Louis for work and culture but far enough away to feel genuinely separate. Your commute will be manageable too, averaging about 25 minutes, mostly to jobs in nearby Edwardsville or into the St.
Glen Carbon at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.9%
Foreign-Born
1.6%
Broadband Internet
93.1%
of households
Population Growth
+0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.6% foreign-born, most often from Asia, n.e.c.
Who lives in Glen Carbon: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Glen Carbon, the largest foreign-born group is from Asia, n.e.c. (26.7%), and 0.3% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
22.4%
of residents
65 and Older
20.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.3%
of households
Married Couples
51.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.36
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 14% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Glen Carbon
In Glen Carbon, rent runs 14% below the IL average, and home values are 7% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
8.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,580
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $335,187 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Glen Carbon and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Madison County, which includes Glen Carbon, is 0.6 percentage points lower than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
Glen Carbon: Madison County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Madison County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Glen Carbon Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
St. Louis, MO-IL metro area
Commute26.4 min avg
How Glen Carbon residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Glen Carbon, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 53% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 16 mi
Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport (BLV)
Regional airport · few flights193k passengers boarded in 2025
- 21 mi
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
Medium hub7.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 65% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Glen Carbon runs 65% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
115.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
935.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Glen Carbon Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 14 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Madison County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Madison County, which includes Glen Carbon, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 14 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $37,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $217,000 |
| 2023 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $250,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $106,000 |
| 2021 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5.0M |
| 2020 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $24.8M |
| 2018 | 16 | Hail | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Madison County, county-wide
Air Quality49 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Madison County, which includes Glen Carbon, is typically good — 191 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
49
Good Days
191
per year
Moderate Days
170
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Madison County, county-wide
Climate86°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Glen Carbon has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.8"
Annual Snowfall
10.8"
Hot Days/Year
29
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
85
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 22°F | 2.53" |
| Feb | 44°F | 25°F | 2.52" |
| Mar | 54°F | 35°F | 3.46" |
| Apr | 66°F | 45°F | 4.92" |
| May | 75°F | 56°F | 5.46" |
| Jun | 84°F | 66°F | 3.40" |
| Jul | 87°F | 69°F | 3.95" |
| Aug | 86°F | 67°F | 3.30" |
| Sep | 80°F | 60°F | 3.38" |
| Oct | 68°F | 48°F | 2.93" |
| Nov | 54°F | 37°F | 3.43" |
| Dec | 44°F | 27°F | 2.59" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Glen Carbon
Uninsured
3.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Glen Carbon's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Anderson Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.3 mi away · Maryville
Gateway Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.6 mi away · Granite City
Hshs St Elizabeth's Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.4 mi away · O Fallon
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Glen Carbon
Glen Carbon's student/teacher ratio is 16.0:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 50.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
50.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Glen Carbon (within 15 miles)
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
2.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 8,750 students · in-state tuition $13,299 · 61% graduate · median earnings $59,436 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Gateway Arch National Park, 14 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Glen Carbon
Glen Carbon has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Gateway Arch National Park (14 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Gateway Arch National Park
National Park
14 mi awayUlysses S Grant National Historic Site
National Historic Site
25 mi awaySte. Geneviève National Historical Park
National Historical Park
54 mi awayLincoln Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
74 mi awaySpringfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
74 mi awayNew Philadelphia National Historic Site
National Historic Site
83 mi awayPublic Libraries in Glen Carbon
Glen Carbon Centennial Library
198 South Main Street, Glen Carbon
Cities Near Glen Carbon
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Glen Carbon?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Glen Carbon FAQ
Is Glen Carbon, Illinois affordable?⌄
Glen Carbon's median rent is $1,097/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $97,168/year. Median home value is $282,000.
Is Glen Carbon, Illinois safe?⌄
Glen Carbon's violent crime rate was 115 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 936 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Glen Carbon, Illinois?⌄
Madison County, which includes Glen Carbon, has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Glen Carbon, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Glen Carbon is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,097/month and median household income is $97,168/year. The median home value is $282,000. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Glen Carbon, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Glen Carbon is 26 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from