Chicago, Illinois
Among the top 18% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 2% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 56% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 13% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 82% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 13% of US places
- top 1% for airport distance
- top 4% for walkability
- bottom 1% for monthly owner costs
Chicago is a major city in Illinois with about 2,722,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include airport distance, walkability, and school quality. It rates lower on violent crime and monthly owner costs.
- The median home value in Chicago is $305k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Chicago is $72k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Chicago is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Chicago has a violent crime rate of 3190/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Chicago is 34 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
cold
v.cold
76%47%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.9 in1.6 in
humid 100%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$55kbetter than 19% of US places
Home Value$305k78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 22% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$515kbetter than 0% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.55%better than 23% of US places
Income Tax5.00%better than 47% of US places
Sales Tax8.86%better than 14% of US places
Estimated total tax burden14.51%better than 19% of US places
Unemployment8.2%better than 19% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)26°F26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation34.4 in30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall38.8 inbetter than 23% of US places
Sunny Days245 daysbetter than 64% of US places
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 57% of US places
Comfortable Days84 daysbetter than 55% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk72.2better than 40% of US places
Air Quality51 AQIbetter than 20% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime3190/100kbetter than 2% of US places
Property Crime3133/100kbetter than 6% of US places
Community
Population2,721,914100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.323rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.7199th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9543rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+513rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)32.7%11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)28.4%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)29.0%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)6.9%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.0%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time34 minbetter than 10% of US places
Walkability13.4/20better than 96% of US places
Airport Distance3 mibetter than 100% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.9%better than 49% of US places
Amenities Nearby3.37better than 12% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 20% of US places
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Chicago an affordable place to live?
- Chicago is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $55k, better than 19% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Chicago safe?
- Chicago is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 3190/100k (better than 2%). Property crime is 3133/100k.
- What is the weather like in Chicago?
- Chicago averages 76°F in July and 26°F in January, with 34.4 in of annual precipitation and about 245 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Chicago?
- Public-school quality in Chicago is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Chicago?
- The average one-way commute in Chicago is 34 min.