What it's like to live in Moline
Moline 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 schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Moline deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, cold winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 36" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Moline compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Moline
Based on Moline's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,800
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $36,000 a year
- 44% of Moline renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$29,260
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $14,630
- Homes cost 2.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 36% below US
$900/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $900 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $146,300. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $146,300 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 19% above US
5.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.1%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 23% above US
406 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2896/100k · Moline Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 31% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 84°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 20% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
15 public schools inside the boundary
There are 15 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (46 miles away).
Bottom line
Moline's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($900/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Moline
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