Cook County vs DuPage County
Cook County, Illinois versus DuPage County, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
DuPage County edges out Cook County on overall objective livability (47 vs 35 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cook County | DuPage County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $78k | $107k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $66k |
| Home Value | $294k | $362k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.02% | 2.11% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.51% | 15.07% |
| Unemployment | 7.1% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.1 in | 39.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.2 in | 31.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 100.0 | 97.6 |
| Air Quality | 57 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 93.2 |
| Violent Crime | 2025/100k | 186/100k |
| Property Crime | 2190/100k | 227/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 5,225,367 | 930,559 |
| Median Age | 37.5 | 39.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.68 | 0.48 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+51 | D+18 |
| White (%) | 41.1% | 64.5% |
| Black (%) | 22.4% | 4.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 25.9% | 14.8% |
| Asian (%) | 7.6% | 12.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 13.6/20 | 10.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 13 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.9% | 93.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.21 | 5.05 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cook County or DuPage County more affordable?
- Cook County has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Cook County's $55k and DuPage County's $66k. Median rent is $1k in Cook County versus $2k in DuPage County.
- Is Cook County or DuPage County safer?
- DuPage County has the lower violent crime rate. Cook County reports 2025/100k and DuPage County reports 186/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cook County or DuPage County?
- The median home value is $294k in Cook County and $362k in DuPage County, so homes are more affordable in Cook County.