Moving and storage go hand in hand. Whether traveling across town or the country, moving is an exciting and fresh start. While Storage Rentals of America is here to help you with all your storage needs, we also want to help you get familiar with the area. That's why we put together this resource guide for Granite City.

About Granite City, IL

Granite City is in Madison County. It is a suburban town that is a part of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. The 2020 census counted 27,549 people who live there.

Prior to the town’s founding, the area was used for farming because of the rich, fertile soil. The farming area was called the Six Mile Settlement because it covered six miles from St. Louis.

The town got its name from the granite quarries in the area.

The city was founded in 1896 by two brothers, William and Frederick Niedringhaus, who created a company town based around steel making for the manufacturing of “Graniteware” kitchen utensils. They discovered a process that coated the steel with enamel to make a lighter, more rust-resistant utensil. They also invented a patented process using a transfer paper to place an oxidized marking on the enamelware before the enamel dried. This made the finished product look like granite. These kitchen utensils were immensely popular.

In contemporary times, the city is best known for its rich culture, great food, and the Granite City Celebration, which features live music, carnival rides and a Soap Box Derby, which is a race of handmade cars.

What to do in Granite City, IL

Granite City has many nice features and amenities.

• Features: The historic landmarks include The Warrior’s Watchtower, the Edwardsville Public Library (circa 1904), and the buildings in the historic districts of St. Louis Place and Lincon Place.
• Events: In addition to the Granite City Celebration, there is an annual Granite City Art and Design District Art Walk, which is popular with art lovers.
• Museums: Museums to visit include the City Museum, Katherine Dunham Museum, Old Six Mile Museum, and the Henry Miller Museum.
• Destination: Horseshoe Lake State Park is full of wildlife and lush forests. It has pleasant hiking trails. There are 2,960 acres to explore, with picnic places, playgrounds, water sports, camping sites, and bird-watching areas.

Working in Granite City, IL

The local economy depends on healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and hospitality. The unemployment rate is 7.0%, which is too high. The median household income is $53,757 per year, which is about $15,000 less than the American average of $69,021. The economy is growing but less than the national average. Granite City's predicted job growth rate for the next decade is 30.1%, compared to the national rate of 33.5%.

The industries offering the most jobs are healthcare (9.1%), metal products (9.3%), hospitality (7.5%), construction (5.3%), finance/insurance (4.8%), and public administration (4%).

Granite City, IL Neighborhoods

The best neighborhoods with the most expensive homes are on the city’s northeastern side.

Here are the areas with the most expensive homes for sale:

• Maryland Place: This nice neighborhood has a median real estate price of $159,310, which is less expensive than 72.1% of Illinois. This is a well-established neighborhood. Nearly all houses were built before 1999, and many were built in the 1940s. Rental homes are $1,419 monthly. The vacancy rate is 2.4%.
• First Greater Granite Heights: This nice neighborhood has a median real estate price of $151,828. Apartments and homes are available for an average rent of $859 monthly. The vacancy rate is 11.9%, so renting in this area is easy.
• Nameoki: This neighborhood has a median real estate price of $141,830. Rental homes are available for an average rent of $1,355 per month. There are also apartment complexes mixed in with small single-family homes. The vacancy rate is 8.3%. Finding a place to rent in this neighborhood is easier than in the Maryland Place area.
• Granite City North: This area is a little north of the city center. The median real estate price is $127,731. This neighborhood has a mixture of homes, small apartment buildings, and townhouses. Most of the houses are owner-occupied. The houses were built between 1940 and 1969, with a few older houses built before 1940. The vacancy rate is 8.5%. The average rent is $1,379 per month.

Granite City, IL School District

The public school district is the Granite City Community Unit School District 9. The school district spends $12,184 annually per student. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17 to one, which is an average class size.

There are five private schools in the Granite City area. The top three private schools are Central Baptist School (K to 12th), Holy Family School (K to 8th), and Metro East Montessori School (PK to 6th).

There are 35 colleges and universities within a 50-mile radius. The best universities close by are Saint Louis University, a private four-year school and the Harris Stowe State University, a public four-year school.

Moving to Granite City, IL Resource Guide

Granite City has an elected mayor and ten elected members on the city council. Council members (two members from each of five wards) are elected every two years on a staggered basis for four-year terms,

The Granite City Parks District manages the public parks, recreational areas, the Legacy Golf Course, the Granite City Ice Rink, the Lincoln Place Community Center, the Brown Recreational Center, and the Wilson Park Pool.

Granite City, IL Housing

The median home price in Granite City is $109,900, trending up by 4.7% year-over-year. It is a seller’s market with fewer homes listed for sale than there are interested buyers looking for a home.

The cost of living in Granite City is very low. It is 17% lower than other cities in Illinois and 21% less than the national average for the United States.