Fairbury, NE vs McCook, NE

Fairbury is moderately more affordable than McCook, with a 11% lower cost of living index. Fairbury scores 60 compared to 67 for McCook, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of McCook can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Fairbury is $666/month compared to $783/month in McCook — a 15% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Fairbury is more affordable at $90,800 median vs $137,400.

Median household income in Fairbury is $51,782 compared to $51,815 in McCook (-0.1%). McCook does offer higher incomes, but the salary premium barely offsets the higher cost of living, leaving residents with a tighter budget. Looking at affordability, residents of Fairbury spend roughly 15.4% of their income on rent, less than the 18.1% in McCook.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (51.5°F vs 52.2°F). Fairbury receives more rainfall at 29.5" per year compared to 20.1" in McCook.