Poplar Grove, IL vs Herculaneum, MO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Herculaneum, MO has a modeled overall cost index 15.0% lower than Poplar Grove, IL.

Poplar Grove, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,760 / month
Herculaneum, MO · modeled 2BR rent: $1,830 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Poplar Grove, IL and Herculaneum, MO using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Poplar Grove, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,136/month in Herculaneum, MO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $136,366 in Herculaneum, MO

Regional cost estimates: Poplar Grove, IL uses Madison, WI. Herculaneum, MO uses St. Louis, MO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 15.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,136

Savings

Annual Impact

$13.6K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Poplar Grove, IL

Population:5K

Cost Index:

93.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$265K

Herculaneum, MO

Population:5K

Cost Index:

79.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$288K

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Poplar Grove, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 5K residents.

Herculaneum, MO

The Show-Me State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Missouri, this city has a population of 5K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Poplar Grove, IL vs Herculaneum, MO

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Poplar Grove, IL	Herculaneum, MO	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,326/mo	$1,621/mo	↓ $705less	30.3%
Healthcare	$714/mo	$530/mo	↓ $184less	25.8%
Transportation	$1,320/mo	$1,170/mo	↓ $150less	11.3%
Other	$1,681/mo	$1,547/mo	↓ $134less	7.9%
All Utilities	$505/mo	$539/mo	↑ $34.04more	6.7%
Groceries	$953/mo	$956/mo	↑ $2.27more	0.2%

Housing

↓ 30.3%

Poplar Grove, IL

$2,326

Herculaneum, MO

$1,621

Difference

$705

less

Healthcare

↓ 25.8%

Poplar Grove, IL

$714

Herculaneum, MO

$530

Difference

$184

less

Transportation

↓ 11.3%

Poplar Grove, IL

$1,320

Herculaneum, MO

$1,170

Difference

$150

less

Other

↓ 7.9%

Poplar Grove, IL

$1,681

Herculaneum, MO

$1,547

Difference

$134

less

All Utilities

↑ 6.7%

Poplar Grove, IL

$505

Herculaneum, MO

$539

Difference

$34.04

Groceries

↑ 0.2%

Poplar Grove, IL

$953

Herculaneum, MO

$956

Difference

$2.27

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,210

To$1,440

↑ $230

1 Bed

From$1,340

To$1,490

↑ $150

2 Bed

From$1,760

To$1,830

↑ $70.00

3 Bed

From$2,330

To$2,360

↑ $30.00

Poplar Grove, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,340–$1,340/mo

Herculaneum, MOZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,490–$1,490/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Poplar Grove, IL

$6,364

Monthly in Herculaneum, MO

$1,136

Difference

Home Values

Poplar Grove

Herculaneum

$265K

Median Value

$288K

↑ +5.7%

YoY Change

↑ +5.2%

↑ +49.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +44.9%

Homes in Herculaneum are 9% more expensive than Poplar Grove

Calculate payment - Poplar Grove Calculate payment - Herculaneum

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $504

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$42.00

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.3%

Rate difference

Poplar Grove, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Herculaneum, MO

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Missouri State Tax

Effective: 5.3%

$7.9K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.0%

$44.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,755/month

$105.1K

Additional Tax Information

Poplar Grove, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Herculaneum, MO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%

Property Tax:1.0%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Poplar Grove

Herculaneum

42 Good

Air Quality

54 Moderate

72.1%

Good Air Days

38%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

99 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

39 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

39 days

Before moving from Poplar Grove, IL to Herculaneum, MO

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Herculaneum, MO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Poplar Grove, IL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Poplar Grove to Herculaneum moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Herculaneum, MO by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Poplar Grove, IL vs Herculaneum, MO

How do the cost estimates for Poplar Grove, IL and Herculaneum, MO compare?

Herculaneum, MO has a modeled overall cost index 15.0% lower than Poplar Grove, IL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Poplar Grove, IL, the model estimates $136,366 in Herculaneum, MO. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Poplar Grove, IL and Herculaneum, MO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,760/month in Poplar Grove, IL and $1,830/month in Herculaneum, MO. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Illinois and Missouri on TaxTakeHome.com