Des Plaines, Illinois
Among the top 11% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 6% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 69% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 27% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 89% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 40% of US places
- top 1% for airport distance
- top 1% for walkability
- bottom 10% for property tax rate
Des Plaines is a mid-size city in Illinois with about 60,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include airport distance, walkability, and school quality. It rates lower on air quality and property tax rate.
Official websitedesplaines.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freez.
v.cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
cold
v.cold
76%48%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.0 in2.0 in
humid 99%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$87k77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$55kbetter than 19% of US places
Home Value$304k78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 23% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 17% of US places
Property Tax Rate2.01%better than 10% of US places
Income Tax5.00%better than 47% of US places
Sales Tax8.86%better than 14% of US places
Estimated total tax burden15.00%better than 17% of US places
Unemployment4.6%better than 43% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation37.9 in37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall38.4 inbetter than 23% of US places
Sunny Days245 daysbetter than 64% of US places
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 57% of US places
Comfortable Days91 daysbetter than 72% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk76.4better than 33% of US places
Air Quality53 AQIbetter than 10% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime1231/100kbetter than 26% of US places
Property Crime1237/100kbetter than 39% of US places
Community
Population60,08798th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.557th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5387th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9645th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+513rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)59.3%23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.5%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)20.7%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)13.1%97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.3%55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 25% of US places
Walkability14.8/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance4 mibetter than 99% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.5%better than 63% of US places
Amenities Nearby92.70better than 53% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 23% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Des Plaines an affordable place to live?
- Des Plaines is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $55k, better than 19% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Des Plaines?
- The median home value in Des Plaines is $304k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Des Plaines?
- Median household income in Des Plaines is $87k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Des Plaines?
- Median gross rent in Des Plaines is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Des Plaines safe?
- Des Plaines is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1231/100k (better than 26%). Property crime is 1237/100k.
- What is the weather like in Des Plaines?
- Des Plaines averages 75°F in July and 25°F in January, with 37.9 in of annual precipitation and about 245 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Des Plaines?
- Public-school quality in Des Plaines 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 Des Plaines?
- The average one-way commute in Des Plaines is 30 min.
Other places in Cook County
Places near Des Plaines
Compare Des Plaines
Explore Illinois
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)