Chicago vs Oak Lawn
Chicago, Illinois versus Oak Lawn, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Chicago and Oak Lawn score about the same overall (36 vs 38 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Chicago | Oak Lawn |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $72k | $77k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $55k |
| Home Value | $305k | $251k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.55% | 2.41% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.51% | 15.76% |
| Unemployment | 8.2% | 5.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.4 in | 40.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.8 in | 38.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 84 days | 85 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 72.2 | 87.5 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 83.4 |
| Violent Crime | 3190/100k | 1108/100k |
| Property Crime | 3133/100k | 1530/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,721,914 | 57,665 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 41.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.71 | 0.43 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+51 | D+51 |
| White (%) | 32.7% | 65.6% |
| Black (%) | 28.4% | 8.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 29.0% | 20.8% |
| Asian (%) | 6.9% | 2.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 3.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 34 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 13.4/20 | 12.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 3 mi | 5 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.9% | 85.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 3.37 | 65.90 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
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 Chicago or Oak Lawn more affordable?
- Oak Lawn has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Chicago's $55k and Oak Lawn's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Chicago versus $1k in Oak Lawn.
- Is Chicago or Oak Lawn safer?
- Oak Lawn has the lower violent crime rate. Chicago reports 3190/100k and Oak Lawn reports 1108/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Chicago or Oak Lawn?
- The median home value is $305k in Chicago and $251k in Oak Lawn, so homes are more affordable in Oak Lawn.