What it's like to live in Carbondale
Carbondale is a small city in Illinois with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Carbondale deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Carbondale compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Carbondale
Based on Carbondale's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,542
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $30,840 a year
- 53% of Carbondale renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$25,580
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $12,790
- Homes cost 4.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 45% below US
$771/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $771 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $127,900. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $127,900 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 26% above US
5.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.4%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 199% above US
986 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2485/100k · Carbondale Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 37% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 16.4 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 1.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 34% above US
48% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 48% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park (48 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Carbondale's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($771/mo) equals 29% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, people who want short commutes, and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up.
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