What is the cost of living in Wilmington, IL?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wilmington has an overall cost of living index of 98, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Wilmington has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Illinois's index of 98.
The standard of living in Wilmington ranks as #127 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Wilmington ranks as the #209 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Wilmington, check out:
Wilmington Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wilmington. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wilmington is 99.
The Groceries index in Wilmington is 98.
The Health index in Wilmington is 91.
The Housing index in Wilmington is 99.
The Transportation index in Wilmington is 102.
The Utilities index in Wilmington is 100.
| Living Expense | Wilmington | Illinois | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 98 | 98 | 100 |
| Services | 99 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 98 | 99 | 100 |
| Health | 91 | 96 | 100 |
| Housing | 99 | 101 | 100 |
| Transportation | 102 | 99 | 100 |
| Utilities | 100 | 101 | 100 |
Wilmington Cost Of Living Compared To Illinois Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Wilmington Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Wilmington, 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Wilmington is $263,749.
The Median Rent in Wilmington is $888.
The Median Income in Wilmington is $66,154.
The Home Value To Income in Wilmington is 4.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wilmington is 0.16x.
| Statistic | Wilmington | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $263,749 | $285,735 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $888 | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $66,154 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.0x | 3.4x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.16x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
Wilmington, IL Costs By Category
Detailed Wilmington Services costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Wilmington | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.32 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $9.99 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $16.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $19.72 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $37.22 | $45.56 |
Detailed Wilmington Groceries costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Wilmington | 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 |
Detailed Wilmington Health costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Wilmington | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $86.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $110.0 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $82.0 | $113.29 |
Detailed Wilmington Transportation costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Wilmington | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.52 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $45.0 | $59.92 |
Detailed Wilmington Utilities costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Wilmington | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $156.87 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $198.03 | $192.25 |
