Iowa to Illinois

Distance from Cedar Rapids to Elgin

Straight-line distance

172.3mi

Cedar Rapids, IA and Elgin, IL are 172.3 miles (277.2 km) apart in a straight line. From Cedar Rapids, the shortest path starts out heading E (87°).

kilometers
277.2
nautical miles
149.7
heading from Cedar Rapids
87° E
heading from Elgin
269° W
Cedar RapidsElgin

Orange line: great-circle path · ring: midpoint · thin lines: county borders

How far Cedar Rapids is from Elgin

The great-circle distance between the Census internal points of Cedar Rapids and Elgin is 172.3 miles, 277.2 km or 149.7 nautical miles. That is the shortest path over the Earth's surface, computed with the haversine formula on a sphere with the mean Earth radius, 6,371.0 km. A course held on one compass bearing (a rhumb line) would be 172.3 miles, practically the same at this range.

Measurements

Miles
172.3
Kilometers
277.2
Nautical miles
149.7
Bearing from Cedar Rapids
87.2° E
Bearing arriving at Elgin
89.4°
Bearing from Elgin
269.4° W

Halfway between Cedar Rapids and Elgin

The great-circle midpoint is at 42.013802, -90.003436 (42°00'49.69"N 90°00'12.37"W). The nearest incorporated place of 1,000 or more people is Mount Carroll, IL, with 1,433 residents, 5.8 miles from the midpoint. To find towns near the midpoint of any two places, use the halfway tool.

Time zones and daylight

Both use America/Chicago, so there is no time difference. On June 21, Cedar Rapids gets 15 h 14 min of daylight and Elgin 15 h 15 min; on December 21, 9 h 07 min and 9 h 07 min. The two sit at nearly the same latitude, so their day lengths match closely all year.

Population compared

Cedar Rapids has 1.2 times the population of Elgin. From July 2020 to July 2024, Cedar Rapids changed by +0.0% and Elgin by +0.0%. The trip crosses from Iowa into Illinois.

  1. 01Cedar Rapids, IA137,904 (+0.0%)
  2. 02Elgin, IL114,701 (+0.0%)
July 1, 2024 population and change since July 2020, Census Vintage 2024.

Questions people ask

How far is Cedar Rapids from Elgin?

172.3 miles, 277.2 km or 149.7 nautical miles along the great circle between the two Census internal points. Road distance is longer.

Which direction is Elgin from Cedar Rapids?

E. The great-circle path leaves Cedar Rapids on a bearing of 87.2° and arrives at Elgin on 89.4°. The return trip starts on 269.4°.

What is halfway between Cedar Rapids and Elgin?

The midpoint is at 42.013802, -90.003436. The nearest incorporated place of 1,000+ is Mount Carroll, IL, 5.8 miles from it.

Is there a time difference between Cedar Rapids and Elgin?

Both use America/Chicago, so there is no time difference.

Which is bigger, Cedar Rapids or Elgin?

Cedar Rapids, with 137,904 residents in July 2024 against 114,701 for Elgin, 1.2 times as many.

Sources and data as of

Data as of: Census 2024 Gazetteer internal points and Vintage 2024 estimates; time zones from Open-Meteo.

  1. 01Census 2024 Gazetteer, places
  2. 02Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
  3. 03SunCalc library (Vladimir Agafonkin), algorithms after Jean Meeus
  4. 04IANA time zone database (clock times and daylight saving rules)

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.