Wilmette, IL Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Wilmette, IL Summary

Cost of living in Wilmette 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 Wilmette 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 Wilmette is 164, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Wilmette is 1.6x higher than the national average.

  • Wilmette ranks as the #324 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Wilmette ranks as the #5,968 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Wilmette is $912,155.

  • The median income in Wilmette is $192,300.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
164
Wilmette's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Wilmette, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wilmette has an overall cost of living index of 164, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Wilmette has a cost of living index that's 1.7x higher than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Wilmette ranks as #324 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Wilmette ranks as the #12 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Wilmette, check out:

324 out of 336
In Illinois
5,968 out of 6,489
In America

Wilmette Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wilmette. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Wilmette is 106.

  • The Groceries index in Wilmette is 103.

  • The Health index in Wilmette is 109.

  • The Housing index in Wilmette is 306.

  • The Transportation index in Wilmette is 106.

  • The Utilities index in Wilmette is 90.

Living Expense Wilmette Illinois National Average
Overall 164 97 100
Services 106 95 100
Groceries 103 99 100
Health 109 93 100
Housing 306 95 100
Transportation 106 102 100
Utilities 90 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Wilmette Cost of Living Vs. IL

Wilmette, 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 Wilmette is $912,155.

  • The Median Rent in Wilmette is $1,968.

  • The Median Income in Wilmette is $192,300.

  • The Home Value To Income in Wilmette is 4.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Wilmette is 0.12x.

Statistic Wilmette Illinois United States
Median Home Value $912,155 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $1,968 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $192,300 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.7x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.12x 0.18x 0.21x
$912,155
Median Home Value
$1,968
Median Rent
$192,300
Median Income

Wilmette, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Wilmette Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Wilmette 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 Wilmette Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Wilmette 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 Wilmette Health Costs Vs. Illinois

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

Detailed Wilmette Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

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

Detailed Wilmette Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

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

Wilmette SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
8
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
10
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Wilmette

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wilmette. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Evanston, IL has a cost of living index of 134, 0.8x Wilmette.

  • Arlington Heights, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 0.8x Wilmette.

  • Skokie, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 0.8x Wilmette.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Wilmette
Evanston, IL 76,552 134 0.8x
Arlington Heights, IL 76,220 124 0.8x
Skokie, IL 66,427 124 0.8x
Glenview, IL 47,682 149 0.9x
Elmhurst, IL 45,538 139 0.8x
Buffalo Grove, IL 42,824 125 0.8x
Park Ridge, IL 39,241 138 0.8x
Northbrook, IL 34,642 153 0.9x
Highland Park, IL 30,229 148 0.9x
Morton Grove, IL 24,687 129 0.8x

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