Atkinson, NE vs Fairbury, NE

Fairbury is moderately more affordable than Atkinson, with a 7.3% lower cost of living index. Atkinson scores 64 compared to 60 for Fairbury, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Atkinson can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Atkinson is $655/month compared to $666/month in Fairbury — a 2% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Atkinson has cheaper rent, Fairbury actually has lower median home values ($90,800 vs $147,600).

Median household income in Atkinson is $72,857 compared to $51,782 in Fairbury (+40.7%). While Atkinson is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Atkinson spend roughly 10.8% of their income on rent, less than the 15.4% in Fairbury.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (49°F vs 51.5°F). Fairbury receives more rainfall at 29.5" per year compared to 23.8" in Atkinson.