Cost of living in Carol Stream research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Carol Stream is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Carol Stream is 114, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Carol Stream is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Carol Stream ranks as the #246 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
Carol Stream ranks as the #4,023 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Carol Stream is $372,327.
The median income in Carol Stream is $105,395.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Carol Stream has an overall cost of living index of 114, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Carol Stream has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Illinois's index of 97.
The standard of living in Carol Stream ranks as #246 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Carol Stream ranks as the #90 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Carol Stream, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Carol Stream. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Carol Stream is 109.
The Groceries index in Carol Stream is 103.
The Health index in Carol Stream is 106.
The Housing index in Carol Stream is 139.
The Transportation index in Carol Stream is 109.
The Utilities index in Carol Stream is 88.
| Living Expense | Carol Stream | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 114 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 109 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 106 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 139 | 95 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 109 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 88 | 91 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Carol Stream is $372,327.
The Median Rent in Carol Stream is $1,465.
The Median Income in Carol Stream is $105,395.
The Home Value To Income in Carol Stream is 3.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Carol Stream is 0.17x.
| Statistic | Carol Stream | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $372,327 | $283,508 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,465 | $1,227 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $105,395 | $81,702 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.5x | 3.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Carol Stream | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.27 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $17.91 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.58 | $18 |
| Haircut | $33.69 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $53.44 | $45.56 |
| Item | Carol Stream | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.28 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.42 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.87 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.9 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.41 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.0 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.75 | $3.7 |
| Item | Carol Stream | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $118.27 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $167.67 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $128.22 | $113.29 |
| Item | Carol Stream | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.56 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.87 | $59.92 |
| Item | Carol Stream | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $148.58 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $210.03 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Carol Stream. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Wheaton, IL has a cost of living index of 128, 1.1x Carol Stream.
Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 149, 1.3x Carol Stream.
Elmhurst, IL has a cost of living index of 139, 1.2x Carol Stream.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Carol Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheaton, IL | 53,453 | 128 | 1.1x |
| Glenview, IL | 47,682 | 149 | 1.3x |
| Elmhurst, IL | 45,538 | 139 | 1.2x |
| Buffalo Grove, IL | 42,824 | 125 | 1.1x |
| Park Ridge, IL | 39,241 | 138 | 1.2x |
| Hanover Park, IL | 36,850 | 109 | 1.0x |
| Addison, IL | 35,470 | 110 | 1.0x |
| Glendale Heights, IL | 32,864 | 106 | 0.9x |
| Glen Ellyn, IL | 28,270 | 135 | 1.2x |
| West Chicago, IL | 25,434 | 112 | 1.0x |