© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Berwyn.
About
Life in Berwyn
If you're considering Berwyn, you're looking at a genuinely walkable, mixed-income suburb where you can still afford a home—median values around $300,000 with median household income near $78,000 make it accessible compared to Chicago proper. The community is vibrant and diverse, with strong Latino roots and established Eastern European heritage that show up in local festivals, restaurants, and neighborhood character. You'll have decent job options locally, especially in healthcare centered around MacNeal Hospital, though most residents commute to Chicago proper (averaging 30 minutes).
Berwyn at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.9%
Foreign-Born
25.0%
Broadband Internet
92.2%
of households
Population Growth
-3.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics25.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Berwyn: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Berwyn, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (66.5%), and 47.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.4%
of residents
65 and Older
13.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.2%
of households
Married Couples
43.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.71
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for IL
Rent, home values, and income in Berwyn
In Berwyn, home values are 14% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,805
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Vacant Homes
7.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $317,986 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above IL average
Unemployment in Berwyn and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Berwyn is 0.4 percentage points higher than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Berwyn Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro area
Commute29 min avg
How Berwyn residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Berwyn, most residents drive alone to work (62%), and 51% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 5 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 11 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 51% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Berwyn runs 51% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
160.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,595.9
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Berwyn Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 55 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
100.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Cook County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Cook County, which includes Berwyn, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 55 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55 | Flood | $494.9M |
| 2024 | 57 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 40 | Thunderstorm Wind | $550.0M |
| 2022 | 51 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.1M |
| 2021 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 38 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 36 | Flood | $20,000 |
| 2018 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $300,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Cook County, county-wide
Berwyn is about 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Cook County, which includes Berwyn, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
53
Good Days
149
per year
Moderate Days
191
per year
Unhealthy Days
5
per year
Cook County, county-wide
Berwyn is about 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Berwyn has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
36°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.1"
Annual Snowfall
38.8"
Hot Days/Year
20
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
106
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
121
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 19°F | 1.48" |
| Feb | 37°F | 23°F | 1.46" |
| Mar | 48°F | 32°F | 1.88" |
| Apr | 60°F | 41°F | 3.57" |
| May | 71°F | 52°F | 4.09" |
| Jun | 81°F | 62°F | 4.01" |
| Jul | 85°F | 68°F | 3.55" |
| Aug | 83°F | 66°F | 3.99" |
| Sep | 76°F | 59°F | 2.77" |
| Oct | 63°F | 47°F | 3.48" |
| Nov | 49°F | 35°F | 2.35" |
| Dec | 38°F | 25°F | 1.79" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Berwyn
Berwyn has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Macneal Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Hartgrove Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 2 mi away · Chicago
Aeries Healthcare of Illinois, Inc., Dba Riveredge Hospital
Psychiatric · 2.4 mi away · Forest Park
Loretto Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.4 mi away · Chicago
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Berwyn
Berwyn's student/teacher ratio is 13.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 24.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Berwyn (within 15 miles)
University of Illinois Chicago
7.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 22,170 students · in-state tuition $14,652 · 70% graduate · median earnings $73,666 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 16,114 students · in-state tuition $4,680 · 26% graduate · median earnings $51,188 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 14,090 students · in-state tuition $47,676 · 68% graduate · median earnings $75,602 (10 yrs after entry)
Chamberlain University-Illinois
14.7 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 14,027 students · in-state tuition $22,243 · 75% graduate · median earnings $96,897 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,737 students · in-state tuition $56,060 · 72% graduate · median earnings $78,431 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,569 students · in-state tuition $73,962 · 96% graduate · median earnings $103,872 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 14 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Berwyn
Berwyn has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (14 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
14 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
39 mi awayPublic Libraries in Berwyn
Berwyn Public Library
2701 South Harlem Avenue, Berwyn
Cities Near Berwyn
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Berwyn?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Berwyn FAQ
Is Berwyn, Illinois affordable?⌄
Berwyn's median rent is $1,215/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $78,408/year. Median home value is $299,800.
Is Berwyn, Illinois safe?⌄
Berwyn's violent crime rate was 161 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1596 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Berwyn, Illinois?⌄
Berwyn has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Berwyn, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Berwyn is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,215/month and median household income is $78,408/year. The median home value is $299,800. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Berwyn, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Berwyn is 29 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from