Hardin, IL vs Ste. Marie, IL

Ste. Marie is moderately more affordable than Hardin, with a 6.4% lower cost of living index. Hardin scores 53 compared to 50 for Ste. Marie, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Hardin can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Hardin is $417/month compared to $263/month in Ste. Marie — a 59% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Ste. Marie has cheaper rent, Hardin actually has lower median home values ($90,500 vs $103,900).

Median household income in Hardin is $85,417 compared to $80,417 in Ste. Marie (+6.2%). The higher salaries in Hardin partially offset the cost difference, but don't fully close the gap. Looking at affordability, residents of Hardin spend roughly 5.9% of their income on rent, more than the 3.9% in Ste. Marie.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (56.1°F vs 55.7°F). Ste. Marie receives more rainfall at 41.7" per year compared to 39.4" in Hardin.