Cost of living in Winnetka 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 Winnetka 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 Winnetka is 215, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Winnetka is 2.1x higher than the national average.
Winnetka ranks as the #335 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.
Winnetka ranks as the #6,374 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Winnetka is $1,724,739.
The median income in Winnetka is $250,001.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Winnetka has an overall cost of living index of 215, which is 2.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Winnetka has a cost of living index that's 2.2x higher than Illinois's index of 97.
The standard of living in Winnetka ranks as #335 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Winnetka ranks as the #1 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Winnetka, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Winnetka. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Winnetka is 105.
The Groceries index in Winnetka is 105.
The Health index in Winnetka is 109.
The Housing index in Winnetka is 474.
The Transportation index in Winnetka is 106.
The Utilities index in Winnetka is 88.
| Living Expense | Winnetka | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 215 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 109 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 474 | 95 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 106 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 88 | 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 Winnetka is $1,724,739.
The Median Rent in Winnetka is $1,750.
The Median Income in Winnetka is $250,001.
The Home Value To Income in Winnetka is 6.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Winnetka is 0.08x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Winnetka. 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, 0.6x Winnetka.
Skokie, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 0.6x Winnetka.
Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 149, 0.7x Winnetka.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Winnetka |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evanston, IL | 76,552 | 134 | 0.6x |
| Skokie, IL | 66,427 | 124 | 0.6x |
| Glenview, IL | 47,682 | 149 | 0.7x |
| Elmhurst, IL | 45,538 | 139 | 0.6x |
| Buffalo Grove, IL | 42,824 | 125 | 0.6x |
| Park Ridge, IL | 39,241 | 138 | 0.6x |
| Northbrook, IL | 34,642 | 153 | 0.7x |
| Highland Park, IL | 30,229 | 148 | 0.7x |
| Wilmette, IL | 27,550 | 164 | 0.8x |
| Morton Grove, IL | 24,687 | 129 | 0.6x |