© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Dolton.
About
Life in Dolton
Living in Dolton means choosing a densely packed south suburban neighborhood where you're basically sitting on Chicago's doorstep without paying Chicago prices—the median home value hovers around $151,300 and median rent runs about $1,384 a month, which is genuinely affordable for the metro area. You're looking at a 32-minute commute on average, and with Interstate 94 running right through your backyard, getting downtown or to the airport is straightforward, though you'll need a car since this is 100% urban but spread across only 4.7 square miles with zero rural character. The community is solidly working- and middle-class with a median household income around $57,887, a 8.1% unemployment rate that's better than national averages, and a demographic mix that's diverse and family-oriented (about a third of households have kids under 18, and the median age is 39.5).
Dolton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.7%
Foreign-Born
3.4%
Broadband Internet
91.3%
of households
Population Growth
-3.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.4% foreign-born, most often from Haiti
Who lives in Dolton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Dolton, the largest foreign-born group is from Haiti (20.4%), and 2.1% of residents speak Other at home.
Under 18
24.6%
of residents
65 and Older
18.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.1%
of households
Married Couples
23.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.62
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 9% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Dolton
In Dolton, rent runs 9% above the IL average, and home values are 43% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
68.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
42.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,562
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
72.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $156,702 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 3.5 pts above IL average
Unemployment in Dolton and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Dolton is 3.5 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 Dolton 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
Commute30.7 min avg
How Dolton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Dolton, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 48% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 28 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.
Safety
Crime rates
Crime data not available
The FBI has no complete year of crime data between 2018 and 2025 for the Dolton Police Department, so there's no reliable local crime rate to show for Dolton.
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 Dolton, 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
Dolton is less than 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 Dolton, 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
Dolton is less than 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate82°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Dolton has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.5"
Annual Snowfall
28.2"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
125
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
124
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 15°F | 2.49" |
| Feb | 35°F | 18°F | 2.15" |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.65" |
| Apr | 59°F | 38°F | 4.02" |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 4.57" |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 4.91" |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 4.73" |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 4.02" |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.44" |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.65" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 3.00" |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 2.47" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Dolton
Uninsured
8.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Dolton's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Ingalls Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.5 mi away · Harvey
Roseland Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.6 mi away · Chicago
Advocate Trinity Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.9 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.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Dolton
Dolton's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 22.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Dolton (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,569 students · in-state tuition $73,962 · 96% graduate · median earnings $103,872 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 5,671 students · in-state tuition $8,675 · 51% graduate · median earnings $58,620 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,096 students · in-state tuition $39,080 · 62% graduate · median earnings $64,661 (10 yrs after entry)
Illinois Institute of Technology
14.1 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 2,833 students · in-state tuition $53,398 · 75% graduate · median earnings $90,804 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 2,661 students · in-state tuition $8,424 · 41% graduate · median earnings $48,764 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 1,384 students · in-state tuition $13,358 · 38% graduate · median earnings $48,395 (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, 5 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Dolton
Dolton has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (5 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
5 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
26 mi awayPublic Libraries in Dolton
Dolton Public Library District
14037 Lincoln Avenue, Dolton
Cities Near Dolton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Dolton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Dolton FAQ
Is Dolton, Illinois affordable?⌄
Dolton's median rent is $1,384/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $57,887/year. Median home value is $151,300.
What is the job market like in Dolton, Illinois?⌄
Dolton has an unemployment rate of 8.1%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Dolton, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Dolton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,384/month and median household income is $57,887/year. The median home value is $151,300. About 69% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Dolton, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Dolton is 31 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