Carol Stream vs Wheaton
Carol Stream, Illinois versus Wheaton, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Carol Stream and Wheaton score about the same overall (49 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Carol Stream | Wheaton |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $104k | $114k |
| Cost of Living | $66k | $66k |
| Home Value | $298k | $431k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.59% | 2.10% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.38% | 15.89% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 3.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.1 in | 39.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3 in | 24.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 95 days | 92 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 59.6 | 63.0 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 77.0 |
| Violent Crime | 149/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 92/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 39,656 | 53,673 |
| Median Age | 39.4 | 37.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+18 | D+18 |
| White (%) | 53.8% | 78.1% |
| Black (%) | 6.8% | 3.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.3% | 7.6% |
| Asian (%) | 19.1% | 6.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 4.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 10.7/20 | 11.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 14 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.0% | 95.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 77.42 | 70.24 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Carol Stream or Wheaton more affordable?
- Wheaton has the lower cost of living: its index is $66k, compared with Carol Stream's $66k and Wheaton's $66k. Median rent is $1k in Carol Stream versus $2k in Wheaton.
- Is Carol Stream or Wheaton safer?
- Wheaton has the lower violent crime rate. Carol Stream reports 149/100k and Wheaton reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Carol Stream or Wheaton?
- The median home value is $298k in Carol Stream and $431k in Wheaton, so homes are more affordable in Carol Stream.