4/2 c.1892 Illinois Victorian Era Home With Lovely Woodwork Under $100K

Pros

• Very affordable housing. This is probably Freeport’s biggest advantage. A home around $100K–$150K is realistic, and rents are low compared with most of the country.
• Low cost of living. Niche gives Freeport an A for cost of living, while other estimates also put it below the national average.
• Excellent parks for a city this size. Krape Park is a particular highlight, along with Read Park, Taylor Park and Oakdale Nature Preserve.
• Good outdoor recreation. The Jane Addams Recreation Trail provides opportunities for biking, walking and running, and the surrounding countryside is attractive if you like rural Midwest scenery.
• Enough shopping and restaurants for everyday life. Freeport has several grocery options, big-box shopping and a reasonable collection of local restaurants. Freeport Plaza is one of the main shopping areas.
• Short commutes. The Census reports an average commute of only 15.9 minutes.
• Some interesting history and character. Freeport was the site of the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debate, commemorated at Lincoln-Douglas Debate Square.
• Diverse for a small Midwestern city. Niche gives Freeport an A- for diversity, and the Census reports a population that is about 15% Black and 7.6% Hispanic/Latino.
• Good place if you like a slower pace. It’s large enough to have supermarkets, healthcare, restaurants and basic services but small enough that traffic and commuting aren’t major issues.

Cons

• Crime is the biggest concern. Niche gives Freeport a C- for crime and safety, while NeighborhoodScout’s analysis of 2024 FBI data puts Freeport’s overall crime rate above the national average.
  Neighborhood matters a lot, so I wouldn’t reject the entire city based on the citywide number.
• Population decline. Freeport went from 25,638 people in 2010 to about 23,202 in 2025. Continued population loss can make economic development and maintaining infrastructure more difficult.
• Weak local economy compared with larger cities. Niche rates jobs B-, and median household income is only about $51,700.
• High poverty. About 19.6% of residents are below the poverty line.
• Schools aren’t a major selling point. Niche gives the overall public-school category a C+, with individual schools ranging from B- to C.
• Limited career opportunities. If you’re in a specialized profession, you may have to commute or work remotely. Rockford is roughly an hour away, while Madison and the Chicago suburbs are farther.
• Not a lot of big-city entertainment. There are restaurants, bars, parks and community activities, but you’ll eventually run out of things to do if you want concerts, major sporting events, extensive nightlife or high-end shopping.
• Older population. About 24% of residents are 65+, considerably higher than the national figure.
• Winter weather. Like Cambridge and much of northern Illinois, expect cold, snow, ice and gray winters.