Cost of living in Niles 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 Niles 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 Niles is 117, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Niles is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Niles ranks as the #262 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
Niles ranks as the #4,212 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Niles is $393,332.
The median income in Niles is $78,563.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Niles has an overall cost of living index of 117, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Niles has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Illinois's index of 98.
The standard of living in Niles ranks as #262 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Niles ranks as the #74 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Niles, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Niles. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Niles is 107.
The Groceries index in Niles is 105.
The Health index in Niles is 106.
The Housing index in Niles is 146.
The Transportation index in Niles is 108.
The Utilities index in Niles is 87.
| Living Expense | Niles | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 117 | 98 | 100 | |
| Services | 107 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 106 | 96 | 100 | |
| Housing | 146 | 94 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 108 | 101 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 87 | 87 | 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 Niles is $393,332.
The Median Rent in Niles is $1,247.
The Median Income in Niles is $78,563.
The Home Value To Income in Niles is 5.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Niles is 0.19x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Niles. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Skokie, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 1.1x Niles.
Des Plaines, IL has a cost of living index of 113, 1.0x Niles.
Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 149, 1.3x Niles.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Niles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skokie, IL | 66,427 | 124 | 1.1x |
| Des Plaines, IL | 59,408 | 113 | 1.0x |
| 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 |
| Northbrook, IL | 34,642 | 153 | 1.3x |
| Highland Park, IL | 30,229 | 148 | 1.3x |
| Wilmette, IL | 27,550 | 164 | 1.4x |
| Morton Grove, IL | 24,687 | 129 | 1.1x |