Wheeling, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Wheeling, IL Summary

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.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
108
Wheeling's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Wheeling, IL?

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:

201 out of 336
In Illinois
3,467 out of 6,489
In America

Wheeling Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

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
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Wheeling Cost of Living Vs. IL

Wheeling, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

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.

Statistic Wheeling Illinois United States
Median Home Value $303,912 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $1,578 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $83,251 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.7x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.18x 0.21x
$303,912
Median Home Value
$1,578
Median Rent
$83,251
Median Income

Wheeling, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Wheeling Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Wheeling 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

Detailed Wheeling Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Wheeling 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

Detailed Wheeling Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Wheeling Illinois
Optometrist $118.27 $125.68
Doctor $167.67 $135.78
Dentist $128.22 $113.29

Detailed Wheeling Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Wheeling Illinois
Gasoline $3.56 $3.46
Tire Balancing $70.87 $59.92

Detailed Wheeling Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Wheeling Illinois
All Electricity $148.58 $193.99
Phone $210.03 $192.25

Wheeling SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
7
Diversity
9.5
Safety
9
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Wheeling

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

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