The Town FilesDes Plaines, Illinois
City in Cook County · population 60,675 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $335,600
- Household income
- $97,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 42.3
Des Plaines is a city of 60,675 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $335,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better transit than 97% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 96% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 93% of Illinois towns.
How Des Plaines 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 Des Plaines is worth $335,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $97,875, which is more affordable than 13% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,606 a month. 78.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Des Plaines | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $335,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,606 | $960 |
| Median household income | $97,875 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.3% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Des Plaines
| People | Des Plaines | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.8% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 34.2% | — |
| Work from home | 13.9% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Des Plaines
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 18.8°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Des Plaines since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 12, 1976 about 7.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 133 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 180 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 5, 2010.
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 Des Plaines itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Public schools in Des Plaines
21 public schools with 8,491 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine West High School | 9-12 | 1,886 | 15.6 |
| Chippewa Middle School | 6-8 | 665 | 10.6 |
| Forest Elem School | PK-5 | 657 | 11.9 |
| Friendship Jr High School | 6-8 | 616 | 11.2 |
| Algonquin Middle School | 6-8 | 559 | 9.2 |
| North Elementary School | K-5 | 558 | 11.4 |
| Apollo Elem School | K-5 | 530 | 11.5 |
| Brentwood Elem School | K-5 | 435 | 12.4 |
| Iroquois Community School | K-8 | 423 | 12.1 |
| Central Elem School | K-5 | 326 | 12.5 |
| Cumberland Elem School | K-5 | 301 | 8.1 |
| Devonshire School | K-5 | 299 | 10.7 |
Towns near Des Plaines
- Mount Prospect, IL2.8 mi · 56,852 people · home $397,400
- Park Ridge, IL3.3 mi · 39,656 people · home $551,200
- Rosemont, IL3.5 mi · 3,952 people · home $344,900
- Niles, IL4.7 mi · 30,912 people · home $358,700
- Prospect Heights, IL5.0 mi · 16,058 people · home $346,500
- Elk Grove Village, IL5.1 mi · 32,812 people · home $347,100
- Glenview, IL5.2 mi · 48,705 people · home $609,600
- Schiller Park, IL5.5 mi · 11,709 people · home $275,000
Des Plaines questions
Is Des Plaines, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Des Plaines scores better for retirees than 32% of Illinois towns and quieter than 11%. 20.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Des Plaines?
The median owner-occupied home in Des Plaines is valued at $335,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,875, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,606 a month.
What is the weather like in Des Plaines?
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 18.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 38.4 inches of snow.
Does Des Plaines get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Des Plaines since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 12, 1976. 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)