Cook County vs Kane County
Cook County, Illinois versus Kane County, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Kane County edges out Cook County on overall objective livability (45 vs 35 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cook County | Kane County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $78k | $96k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $61k |
| Home Value | $294k | $290k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.02% | 2.47% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.51% | 15.35% |
| Unemployment | 7.1% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.1 in | 38.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.2 in | 35.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 100.0 | 94.6 |
| Air Quality | 57 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 73.7 |
| Violent Crime | 2025/100k | 528/100k |
| Property Crime | 2190/100k | 404/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 5,225,367 | 517,254 |
| Median Age | 37.5 | 38.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.68 | 0.53 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+51 | D+15 |
| White (%) | 41.1% | 55.5% |
| Black (%) | 22.4% | 5.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 25.9% | 32.6% |
| Asian (%) | 7.6% | 3.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 13.6/20 | 10.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.9% | 91.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.21 | 1.82 |
| 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 Kane County more affordable?
- Cook County has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Cook County's $55k and Kane County's $61k. Median rent is $1k in Cook County versus $1k in Kane County.
- Is Cook County or Kane County safer?
- Kane County has the lower violent crime rate. Cook County reports 2025/100k and Kane County reports 528/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cook County or Kane County?
- The median home value is $294k in Cook County and $290k in Kane County, so homes are more affordable in Kane County.