The Town FilesWilmette, Illinois
Village in Cook County · population 28,170 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $810,600
- Household income
- $190,662
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 45.3
Wilmette is a village of 28,170 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $810,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more upscale than 99% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 98% of Illinois towns, hipper than 97% of Illinois towns.
How Wilmette 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 Wilmette is worth $810,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $190,662, which is more affordable than 2% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,978 a month. 87.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wilmette | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $810,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,978 | $960 |
| Median household income | $190,662 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 87.9% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Wilmette
| People | Wilmette | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 30.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 83.6% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.6% | — |
| Work from home | 36.1% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 34.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.7% | 90.4% |
Weather in Wilmette
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
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wilmette 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 0.1 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 53 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 128 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 Wilmette itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Wilmette
7 public schools with 3,552 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmette Junior High School | 7-8 | 770 | 12.2 |
| Highcrest Middle School | 5-6 | 747 | 10.7 |
| Romona Elem School | PK-4 | 479 | 10.0 |
| McKenzie Elem School | K-4 | 463 | 12.9 |
| Central Elem School | K-4 | 456 | 12.7 |
| Harper Elem School | K-4 | 370 | 12.8 |
| Marie Murphy School | 6-8 | 267 | 10.3 |
Towns near Wilmette
- Kenilworth, IL1.1 mi · 2,514 people · home $1,560,300
- Winnetka, IL2.1 mi · 12,744 people · home $1,337,800
- Evanston, IL2.8 mi · 78,110 people · home $481,200
- Skokie, IL2.9 mi · 67,824 people · home $387,200
- Northfield, IL3.1 mi · 5,751 people · home $878,300
- Morton Grove, IL3.9 mi · 25,297 people · home $389,100
- Glencoe, IL4.3 mi · 8,849 people · home $1,432,500
- Lincolnwood, IL5.0 mi · 13,463 people · home $496,400
Wilmette questions
Is Wilmette, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wilmette scores better for retirees than 51% of Illinois towns and quieter than 13%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.3).
How much does a house cost in Wilmette?
The median owner-occupied home in Wilmette is valued at $810,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $190,662, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,978 a month.
What is the weather like in Wilmette?
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 Wilmette get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wilmette 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)