Cost of living in West 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 West 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 West Chicago is 112, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in West Chicago is 1.1x higher than the national average.
West Chicago ranks as the #229 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
West Chicago ranks as the #3,863 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in West Chicago is $379,875.
The median income in West Chicago is $100,568.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, West Chicago has an overall cost of living index of 112, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, West Chicago has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Illinois's index of 98.
The standard of living in West Chicago ranks as #229 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies West Chicago ranks as the #107 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in West Chicago, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in West Chicago. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in West Chicago is 105.
The Groceries index in West Chicago is 99.
The Health index in West Chicago is 96.
The Housing index in West Chicago is 130.
The Transportation index in West Chicago is 114.
The Utilities index in West Chicago is 79.
| Living Expense | West Chicago | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 112 | 98 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 96 | 96 | 100 | |
| Housing | 130 | 94 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 114 | 101 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 79 | 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 West Chicago is $379,875.
The Median Rent in West Chicago is $1,376.
The Median Income in West Chicago is $100,568.
The Home Value To Income in West Chicago is 3.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in West Chicago is 0.16x.
| Statistic | West Chicago | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $379,875 | $283,508 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,376 | $1,227 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $100,568 | $81,702 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.8x | 3.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.16x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | West Chicago | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.32 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $9.99 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $16.0 | $18.0 |
| Haircut | $19.72 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $37.22 | $45.56 |
| Item | West Chicago | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.94 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.39 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.55 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.08 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.69 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.61 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.72 | $3.7 |
| Item | West Chicago | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $86.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $110.0 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $82.0 | $113.29 |
| Item | West Chicago | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.52 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $45.0 | $59.92 |
| Item | West Chicago | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $156.87 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $198.03 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around West Chicago. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Naperville, IL has a cost of living index of 133, 1.2x West Chicago.
Arlington Heights, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 1.1x West Chicago.
Wheaton, IL has a cost of living index of 128, 1.1x West Chicago.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. West Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naperville, IL | 149,424 | 133 | 1.2x |
| Arlington Heights, IL | 76,220 | 124 | 1.1x |
| Wheaton, IL | 53,453 | 128 | 1.1x |
| Elmhurst, IL | 45,538 | 139 | 1.2x |
| Bartlett, IL | 40,531 | 122 | 1.1x |
| Carol Stream, IL | 39,427 | 114 | 1.0x |
| Hanover Park, IL | 36,850 | 109 | 1.0x |
| St. Charles, IL | 32,733 | 120 | 1.1x |
| Glen Ellyn, IL | 28,270 | 135 | 1.2x |
| Batavia, IL | 26,730 | 118 | 1.1x |