The Town FilesEvanston, Illinois
City in Cook County · population 78,110 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $481,200
- Household income
- $96,434
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 38.4
Evanston is a city of 78,110 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $481,200, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for young professionals than 100% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 100% of Illinois towns, hipper than 100% of Illinois towns.
How Evanston 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 Evanston is worth $481,200, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $96,434, which is more affordable than 1% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,762 a month. 56.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Evanston | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $481,200 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,762 | $960 |
| Median household income | $96,434 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 56.2% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Evanston
| People | Evanston | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.2% | — |
| Work from home | 28.5% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 27.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 90.4% |
Weather in Evanston
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 16.3°F. About 39.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.6 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Evanston since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 12, 1976 about 2.7 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 166 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 108 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 7, 2020.
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 Evanston itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Evanston
19 public schools with 9,606 students, about 10.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evanston Twp High School | 9-12 | 3,586 | 13.5 |
| Haven Middle School | 6-8 | 686 | 10.7 |
| Nichols Middle School | 6-8 | 637 | 9.4 |
| Chute Middle School | 6-8 | 597 | 10.3 |
| Washington Elem School | K-5 | 424 | 10.6 |
| Walker Elem School | K-5 | 412 | 12.9 |
| Lincoln Elem School | K-5 | 390 | 11.1 |
| Oakton Elem School | K-5 | 375 | 9.4 |
| Willard Elem School | K-5 | 373 | 11.0 |
| Dr ML King Jr Literary&Fine Arts | K-8 | 367 | 7.2 |
| Kingsley Elementary School | K-5 | 343 | 11.4 |
| Dewey Elem School | K-5 | 333 | 10.7 |
Towns near Evanston
- Skokie, IL2.5 mi · 67,824 people · home $387,200
- Wilmette, IL2.8 mi · 28,170 people · home $810,600
- Kenilworth, IL3.1 mi · 2,514 people · home $1,560,300
- Lincolnwood, IL3.5 mi · 13,463 people · home $496,400
- Winnetka, IL4.8 mi · 12,744 people · home $1,337,800
- Morton Grove, IL4.9 mi · 25,297 people · home $389,100
- Northfield, IL5.8 mi · 5,751 people · home $878,300
- Niles, IL6.1 mi · 30,912 people · home $358,700
Evanston questions
Is Evanston, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Evanston scores better for retirees than 23% of Illinois towns and quieter than 1%. 18.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Evanston?
The median owner-occupied home in Evanston is valued at $481,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,434, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,762 a month.
What is the weather like in Evanston?
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 16.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.5 inches of precipitation a year and 33.6 inches of snow.
Does Evanston get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Evanston 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)