Fairbury, NE vs Wood River, NE

Fairbury is moderately more affordable than Wood River, with a 10% lower cost of living index. Fairbury scores 60 compared to 66 for Wood River, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Wood River 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 $820/month in Wood River — a 19% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Fairbury is more affordable at $90,800 median vs $131,400.

Median household income in Fairbury is $51,782 compared to $76,591 in Wood River (-32.4%). While Wood River is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Fairbury spend roughly 15.4% of their income on rent, more than the 12.8% in Wood River.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (51.5°F vs 51.9°F). Fairbury receives more rainfall at 29.5" per year compared to 26.4" in Wood River.