The Town FilesChicago, Illinois
City in Cook County · population 2,746,388 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $334,100
- Household income
- $77,902
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 35.8
Chicago is a city of 2,746,388 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $334,100, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Illinois towns, hipper than 99% of Illinois towns, better transit than 99% of Illinois towns.
How Chicago ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chicago is worth $334,100, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $77,902, which is more affordable than 2% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,440 a month. 46.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chicago | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $334,100 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,440 | $960 |
| Median household income | $77,902 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 46.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Chicago
| People | Chicago | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.8% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.8% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 2.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 20.9% | — |
| Work from home | 21.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 33.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.1% | 90.4% |
Weather in Chicago
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 19.4°F. About 34.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 106 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chicago since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 9.0 miles from the town center and killed 33. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 34 deaths and 637 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 124 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 30, 2011.
Severe weather in Cook County since 1996
Cook County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| November 20, 2023 | Flood | DR-4749: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cook County
Cook County had 2,565,567 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,931 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Chicago itself the ACS puts it at 8%.
Public schools in Chicago
653 public schools with 326,398 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lane Technical High School | 7-12 | 4,525 | 16.8 |
| Taft High School | 7-12 | 4,416 | 16.1 |
| Curie Metropolitan High School | 9-12 | 3,136 | 15.8 |
| Kenwood Academy High School | 7-12 | 2,337 | 18.3 |
| Young Magnet High School | 7-12 | 2,221 | 16.7 |
| Lincoln Park High School | 9-12 | 2,125 | 16.2 |
| Jones College Prep High School | 9-12 | 1,973 | 16.7 |
| Thomas Kelly College Preparatory | 9-12 | 1,862 | 14.8 |
| Hubbard High School | 9-12 | 1,792 | 16.1 |
| Mather High School | 9-12 | 1,777 | 14.9 |
| Kennedy High School | 9-12 | 1,695 | 15.7 |
| Von Steuben Metro Science HS | 9-12 | 1,695 | 15.8 |
Towns near Chicago
- Cicero, IL3.9 mi · 85,268 people · home $249,400
- Stickney, IL4.8 mi · 7,110 people · home $244,900
- Berwyn, IL5.5 mi · 57,250 people · home $299,800
- Oak Park, IL6.4 mi · 54,583 people · home $465,500
- Riverside, IL6.8 mi · 9,298 people · home $491,400
- Forest Park, IL7.1 mi · 14,339 people · home $304,700
- Lyons, IL7.1 mi · 10,817 people · home $257,300
- North Riverside, IL7.3 mi · 7,426 people · home $297,800
Chicago questions
Is Chicago, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chicago scores better for retirees than 5% of Illinois towns and quieter than 1%. 13.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.8).
How much does a house cost in Chicago?
The median owner-occupied home in Chicago is valued at $334,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,902, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,440 a month.
What is the weather like in Chicago?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 19.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.4 inches of precipitation a year and 38.8 inches of snow.
Does Chicago get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chicago since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 1967. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)