Cost of living in Wheeling 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 Wheeling 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 Wheeling is 108, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Wheeling is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Wheeling ranks as the #201 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
Wheeling ranks as the #3,467 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Wheeling is $303,912.
The median income in Wheeling is $83,251.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wheeling has an overall cost of living index of 108, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Wheeling has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Illinois's index of 97.
The standard of living in Wheeling ranks as #201 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Wheeling ranks as the #135 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Wheeling, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wheeling. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wheeling is 108.
The Groceries index in Wheeling is 105.
The Health index in Wheeling is 107.
The Housing index in Wheeling is 118.
The Transportation index in Wheeling is 108.
The Utilities index in Wheeling is 89.
| Living Expense | Wheeling | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 108 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 108 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 107 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 118 | 95 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 108 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 89 | 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 Wheeling is $303,912.
The Median Rent in Wheeling is $1,578.
The Median Income in Wheeling is $83,251.
The Home Value To Income in Wheeling is 3.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wheeling is 0.23x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wheeling. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Arlington Heights, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 1.1x Wheeling.
Mount Prospect, IL has a cost of living index of 122, 1.1x Wheeling.
Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 149, 1.4x Wheeling.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Wheeling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington Heights, IL | 76,220 | 124 | 1.1x |
| Mount Prospect, IL | 55,648 | 122 | 1.1x |
| Glenview, IL | 47,682 | 149 | 1.4x |
| Elmhurst, IL | 45,538 | 139 | 1.3x |
| Buffalo Grove, IL | 42,824 | 125 | 1.2x |
| Park Ridge, IL | 39,241 | 138 | 1.3x |
| Northbrook, IL | 34,642 | 153 | 1.4x |
| Highland Park, IL | 30,229 | 148 | 1.4x |
| Glen Ellyn, IL | 28,270 | 135 | 1.2x |
| Wilmette, IL | 27,550 | 164 | 1.5x |