What Does $400,000 Buy in Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, and Troy, Illinois?
If you’ve been scrolling through homes in Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, and Troy, you’ve probably noticed that a $400,000 budget can look very different depending on which town you’re searching.
These three communities are close enough that buyers often consider all of them—but each one gives you something a little different. You may find more space in one, newer homes in another, or a location that makes your commute much easier.
So, let’s compare them! I pulled every single-family home in the MARIS MLS priced from $400,000 to $499,999 on September 1, 2026, to see what buyers could actually choose from—not just what we assume this budget should buy.
Here’s the quick version:
| Community | Homes available | Median asking price | Typical listed living area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edwardsville | 14 | $437,450 | About 2,170 sq. ft. |
| Glen Carbon | 3 | $405,000 | About 1,580 sq. ft. |
| Troy | 8 | $462,500 | About 1,899 sq. ft. |
Those totals include active and coming-soon listings. And because real estate can change quickly, think of this as a snapshot of the market—not a guarantee of what will still be available when you read this.
Edwardsville: The Most Options and the Most Variety
If you want choices, Edwardsville had the clear advantage when I ran this search. There were 14 homes priced from $400,000 to $499,000, with a median asking price of about $437,450.
They ranged from three to five bedrooms, two to four bathrooms, and approximately 1,520 to 3,200 square feet of reported living area. The oldest was built in 1985 and the newest in 2026, which tells you just how much variety there was.
In other words, shopping in Edwardsville didn’t mean choosing between 14 versions of the same house. Buyers could consider established subdivisions, newer construction, different lot sizes, and even lake-community options.
One little piece of local knowledge that matters: an Edwardsville mailing address does not always mean the home is inside Edwardsville city limits. For example, some homes in and around Holiday Shores have Edwardsville addresses but may have different taxes, utilities, municipal services, or other property-specific details. It’s always worth checking the exact home rather than relying on the city name in the mailing address.
A few things I love about Edwardsville
One of my favorite things about Edwardsville is that you can make an entire day out of staying local. Start with coffee at 222 Artisan Bakery & Cafe, Sacred Grounds Café, Café Birdie, or Goshen, wander through downtown, pop into Afterwords Books, and finish with dinner at Cleveland-Heath. It has that cute downtown energy where there is usually somewhere to go without needing a big plan.
There is plenty to do outside of downtown too. The Watershed Nature Center is such a peaceful little escape, with trails winding through prairie, forest, and wetlands. In warmer weather, Leon Corlew Splash Pad is always a fun stop, while Plummer Family Park has become a major recreation hub. And Park North Golf Club is much more of a Topgolf-style experience than a traditional driving range—you can reserve a covered TrackMan bay, play interactive games or virtual courses, grab food and drinks, and make an actual outing of it even if you are not a serious golfer.
The overall tradeoff? Edwardsville gave buyers the most choices in this particular search, but your commute into St. Louis may be slightly longer depending on where the home is located.
Glen Carbon: Fewer Homes, but Three Completely Different Choices
Glen Carbon had only three homes available in this price range when I searched. They were priced at $400,000, $405,000, and $450,000, giving the town a median asking price of $405,000.
At first, three options may not sound very exciting—but what I found interesting was how different they were. One was an older home on approximately 1.36 acres, one was built in 2010 in an established subdivision, and one was brand-new construction from 2026.
The homes offered three or four bedrooms, two or three bathrooms, and approximately 1,563 to 1,703 square feet of reported living area.
So while Glen Carbon didn’t give buyers a huge list to scroll through, it did offer three totally different ways to spend that budget. If Glen Carbon is your first choice, the biggest thing may be patience. When the right home comes up, you’ll want to be prepared to take a close look because there simply may not be as many alternatives available at the same time.
A few things I love about Glen Carbon
Glen Carbon feels a little more tucked away and residential, but you’re still incredibly close to Edwardsville’s restaurants, shops, and everyday conveniences. Old Town and the covered bridge give it its own charm, and you could easily spend an afternoon playing pickleball at Miner Park, renting bikes for a ride along the Madison County Transit trails, and then grabbing something to eat at The Wooden Nickel.
The Weeping Willow Tea Room is another one of those special local spots that makes the town feel cozy, and I love Glen Carbon’s library for the same reason. These places give Glen Carbon its own personality—it does not simply feel like an extension of Edwardsville, even though all of Edwardsville’s amenities are just minutes away.
Troy: Newer Options and Really Convenient Interstate Access
Troy landed right in the middle for inventory, with eight active or coming-soon homes priced from $400,000 to $489,000. The median asking price was approximately $462,500—the highest of the three towns in this particular snapshot.
The homes offered three to five bedrooms, two to four bathrooms, and approximately 1,589 to 2,100 square feet of reported living area. They were built between 1990 and 2026, and several were built in 2016 or later.
That was the part that stood out to me: Troy’s current choices leaned newer. Buyers looking for more recent construction or newer subdivision homes may find that Troy gives them more of those options, although they may be shopping toward the higher end of the $400,000s.
The lots ranged from approximately 0.23 acre to one-half acre, so there was a nice mix of practical subdivision lots and a few properties with a little more room.
A few things I love about Troy
Troy’s interstate access is a major perk, but I do not want that to make it sound like Troy is simply a convenient place to sleep between commutes—it has a lot going on locally and such a strong community feel.
Downtown really comes alive during First Fridays, when you can find live music, food trucks, street vendors, local shopping, and people actually out enjoying their town together. It is the kind of event that makes you want to slow down and stay awhile. You can grab coffee at Mokka Bon, check out the new Market & Main, or make your own candle at The Happy Elephant, which also has handmade candles and gifts.
Tri-Township Park is another huge favorite. It has beautiful walking trails, playgrounds, recreation areas, and even a petting zoo where you can stop and visit the animals. Between the park, MCT trail access, downtown events, and locally owned businesses, Troy offers much more than an easy drive to St. Louis—it feels like a community that genuinely shows up for itself.
Okay, But What About the Drive to St. Louis?
This is usually one of the first questions buyers ask, so I compared each town to Downtown St. Louis.
- From central Glen Carbon, the drive is roughly 17 to 19 miles and often around 25 to 30 minutes without significant traffic.
- From central Troy, it’s roughly 20 to 21 miles and also around 25 to 30 minutes in lighter traffic.
- From central Edwardsville, it’s generally around 23 to 27 miles and approximately 30 to 35 minutes without major delays.
Of course, anyone who regularly drives into St. Louis knows that bridge traffic, construction, weather, and rush hour can change those numbers quickly. Your exact destination matters too—a job in Downtown St. Louis is a different commute than one in Clayton, West County, or near Lambert Airport.
My best advice is to map the commute from the actual house during the time you would normally drive it. Sometimes being on the right side of town saves more time than the city name itself suggests.
So, Which Town Should You Choose?
Honestly? It depends on what matters most to you.
If you want the largest selection, lots of local restaurants and activities, and the widest variety of homes, Edwardsville may rise to the top.
If you love Glen Carbon, you may need to be a little more patient—but the choices that do appear can range from acreage to new construction, all while keeping you close to Edwardsville’s amenities.
If newer homes and easy interstate access are high on your wish list, Troy is absolutely worth considering, especially if you commute into St. Louis.
There isn’t one town that is automatically “better.” The best fit comes down to the house, location, commute, monthly payment, and the little everyday things that make a place feel right to you.
If you’re trying to decide between Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Troy, or another Metro East community, I’d love to help you compare your options without the overwhelm. Visit LoganMaggioHomes.net or reach out to Logan Maggio with Gori, Realtors® to start a personalized home search.
MLS information is based on single-family residential listings in the MARIS MLS priced from $400,000 to $499,999 as of September 1, 2026. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and may change without notice. Listing counts include active and coming-soon properties. Reported living area may include different types of finished space depending on the individual listing. Buyers should independently verify property details, boundaries, services, commute times, and other information material to their purchase.