Cost of living in North Chicago 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 North Chicago 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 North Chicago is 95, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in North Chicago is 0.9x lower than the national average.
North Chicago ranks as the #115 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
North Chicago ranks as the #1,954 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in North Chicago is $207,999.
The median income in North Chicago is $56,815.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, North Chicago has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, North Chicago has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Illinois's index of 97.
The standard of living in North Chicago ranks as #115 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies North Chicago ranks as the #221 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in North Chicago, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in North Chicago. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in North Chicago is 107.
The Groceries index in North Chicago is 106.
The Health index in North Chicago is 106.
The Housing index in North Chicago is 82.
The Transportation index in North Chicago is 109.
The Utilities index in North Chicago is 90.
| Living Expense | North Chicago | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 95 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 107 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 106 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 106 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 82 | 95 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 109 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 90 | 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 North Chicago is $207,999.
The Median Rent in North Chicago is $1,392.
The Median Income in North Chicago is $56,815.
The Home Value To Income in North Chicago is 3.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in North Chicago is 0.29x.
| Statistic | North Chicago | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $207,999 | $283,508 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,392 | $1,227 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $56,815 | $81,702 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.7x | 3.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.29x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | North Chicago | 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 | North Chicago | 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 | North Chicago | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $118.27 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $167.67 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $128.22 | $113.29 |
| Item | North Chicago | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.56 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.87 | $59.92 |
| Item | North Chicago | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $148.58 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $210.03 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around North Chicago. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Waukegan, IL has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x North Chicago.
Arlington Heights, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 1.3x North Chicago.
Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 149, 1.6x North Chicago.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. North Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waukegan, IL | 88,919 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Arlington Heights, IL | 76,220 | 124 | 1.3x |
| Glenview, IL | 47,682 | 149 | 1.6x |
| Buffalo Grove, IL | 42,824 | 125 | 1.3x |
| Northbrook, IL | 34,642 | 153 | 1.6x |
| Gurnee, IL | 30,486 | 117 | 1.2x |
| Highland Park, IL | 30,229 | 148 | 1.6x |
| Wilmette, IL | 27,550 | 164 | 1.7x |
| Libertyville, IL | 20,493 | 135 | 1.4x |
| Lake Zurich, IL | 19,727 | 127 | 1.3x |