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Living in
Carol Stream.
About
Life in Carol Stream
If you're considering Carol Stream, you're looking at a solidly middle-to-upper-class suburb that feels stable and family-focused. Median home values sit around $335,000 with median household income about $102,000, so it's not cheap, but it's not an outlier for the Chicago suburbs either. The job market is decent locally—the USPS Sectional Hub is a major employer—but most people here commute to Chicago, averaging about 29 minutes, which is reasonable for the region.
Carol Stream at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.4%
Foreign-Born
28.2%
Broadband Internet
92.3%
of households
Population Growth
-1.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics28.2% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Carol Stream: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Carol Stream, the largest foreign-born group is from India (20.5%), and 15.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.6%
of residents
65 and Older
16.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.8%
of households
Married Couples
56.6%
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 20% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Carol Stream
In Carol Stream, rent runs 20% above the IL average, and home values are 27% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,987
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
67.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1984
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $381,673 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Carol Stream and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Carol Stream is 0.9 percentage points lower than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Carol Stream 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
Commute28.1 min avg
How Carol Stream residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Carol Stream, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 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 82% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Carol Stream runs 82% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
58.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
640.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Carol Stream Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 37 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
DuPage County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In DuPage County, which includes Carol Stream, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 37 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | Thunderstorm Wind | $22,000 |
| 2024 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $40,000 |
| 2022 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 18 | Flood | $30,000 |
| 2019 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $560,000 |
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
DuPage County, county-wide
Carol Stream is about 4% of DuPage County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in DuPage County, which includes Carol Stream, is typically good — 233 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
233
per year
Moderate Days
126
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
DuPage County, county-wide
Carol Stream is about 4% of DuPage County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate82°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Carol Stream has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.1"
Annual Snowfall
34.0"
Hot Days/Year
14
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
134
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
121
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 16°F | 1.27" |
| Feb | 35°F | 19°F | 1.24" |
| Mar | 47°F | 28°F | 1.97" |
| Apr | 60°F | 38°F | 3.44" |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 4.34" |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 3.65" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 3.62" |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 3.84" |
| Sep | 76°F | 54°F | 3.00" |
| Oct | 62°F | 42°F | 2.99" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 2.20" |
| Dec | 35°F | 21°F | 1.67" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Carol Stream
Uninsured
5.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Carol Stream's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northwestern Medicine Central Dupage Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.3 mi away · Winfield
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Glenoaks
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.7 mi away · Glendale Heights
Bhc Streamwood Hospital Inc.
Psychiatric · 6.3 mi away · Streamwood
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.
Education13.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Carol Stream
Carol Stream's student/teacher ratio is 13.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 42.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
42.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Carol Stream (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 16,114 students · in-state tuition $4,680 · 26% graduate · median earnings $51,188 (10 yrs after entry)
Chamberlain University-Illinois
5.2 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 · 3,006 students · in-state tuition $45,858 · 72% graduate · median earnings $67,398 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,428 students · in-state tuition $47,340 · 72% graduate · median earnings $65,646 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,121 students · in-state tuition $47,770 · 88% graduate · median earnings $68,390 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,942 students · in-state tuition $37,650 · 60% graduate · median earnings $67,314 (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, 31 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Carol Stream
Carol Stream has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (31 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
31 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
57 mi awayPublic Libraries in Carol Stream
Carol Stream Public Library
616 Hiawatha Drive, Carol Stream
Cities Near Carol Stream
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Carol Stream?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Carol Stream FAQ
Is Carol Stream, Illinois affordable?⌄
Carol Stream's median rent is $1,529/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $102,309/year. Median home value is $335,000.
Is Carol Stream, Illinois safe?⌄
Carol Stream's violent crime rate was 58 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 640 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Carol Stream, Illinois?⌄
Carol Stream has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Carol Stream, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Carol Stream is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,529/month and median household income is $102,309/year. The median home value is $335,000. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Carol Stream, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Carol Stream is 28 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