Evanston, Illinois
Among the top 10% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 3% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 71% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 34% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 90% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 48% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 5% for airport distance
- bottom 8% for monthly owner costs
Evanston is a mid-size city in Illinois with about 77,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and school quality. It rates lower on property tax rate and monthly owner costs.
Official websitecityofevanston.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
cold
v.cold
74%47%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in2.3 in
humid 98%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$93k81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$55kbetter than 19% of US places
Home Value$455k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 13% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 8% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.96%better than 11% of US places
Income Tax5.00%better than 47% of US places
Sales Tax8.86%better than 14% of US places
Estimated total tax burden17.48%better than 12% of US places
Unemployment6.1%better than 31% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation40.3 in45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall33.6 inbetter than 29% of US places
Sunny Days245 daysbetter than 64% of US places
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 57% of US places
Comfortable Days90 daysbetter than 70% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk62.9better than 54% of US places
Air Quality49 AQIbetter than 30% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime1191/100kbetter than 28% of US places
Property Crime2440/100kbetter than 12% of US places
Community
Population77,18198th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.634th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5891st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9440th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+513rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)58.4%22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)16.1%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.3%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)9.2%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.1%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 30% of US places
Walkability16.1/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance12 mibetter than 95% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.6%better than 74% of US places
Amenities Nearby117.39better than 58% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 19% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Evanston an affordable place to live?
- Evanston is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $55k, better than 19% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Evanston?
- The median home value in Evanston is $455k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Evanston?
- Median household income in Evanston is $93k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Evanston?
- Median gross rent in Evanston is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Evanston safe?
- Evanston is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1191/100k (better than 28%). Property crime is 2440/100k.
- What is the weather like in Evanston?
- Evanston averages 76°F in July and 25°F in January, with 40.3 in of annual precipitation and about 245 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Evanston?
- Public-school quality in Evanston 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 Evanston?
- The average one-way commute in Evanston is 29 min.
Other places in Cook County
Places near Evanston
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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)