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Living in
Downers Grove.
About
Life in Downers Grove
If you're seriously considering Downers Grove, understand that you're looking at a wealthy suburban community with all the financial implications that entails. The median home price hovers around $450,000 with median rent at $1,656 monthly—these aren't cheap, but they reflect the area's appeal to affluent families and professionals. The school system is genuinely strong with multiple public and private options, and nearly 59% of residents hold college degrees, so you'll be surrounded by educated neighbors.
Downers Grove at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Foreign-Born
10.0%
Broadband Internet
94.0%
of households
Population Growth
+0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.0% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Downers Grove: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Downers Grove, the largest foreign-born group is from India (14.9%), and 3.8% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
21.9%
of residents
65 and Older
21.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.5%
of households
Married Couples
54.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.39
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 30% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Downers Grove
In Downers Grove, rent runs 30% above the IL average, and home values are 71% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,227
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
75.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1974
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $502,828 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Downers Grove and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Downers Grove is 0.8 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 Downers Grove 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
Commute27.8 min avg
How Downers Grove residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Downers Grove, most residents drive alone to work (61%), and 56% 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
- 14 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 76% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Downers Grove runs 76% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
79
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
768.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Downers Grove 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 Downers Grove, 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
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in DuPage County, which includes Downers Grove, 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
Climate83°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Downers Grove has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
42.3"
Annual Snowfall
24.3"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
144
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
121
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 15°F | 2.19" |
| Feb | 35°F | 18°F | 1.96" |
| Mar | 47°F | 26°F | 2.36" |
| Apr | 59°F | 36°F | 3.82" |
| May | 71°F | 47°F | 4.79" |
| Jun | 81°F | 58°F | 4.43" |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 4.25" |
| Aug | 83°F | 60°F | 4.35" |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 3.36" |
| Oct | 63°F | 40°F | 3.58" |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 2.77" |
| Dec | 37°F | 21°F | 2.32" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Downers Grove
Downers Grove has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Hinsdale
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5 mi away · Hinsdale
Elmhurst Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.3 mi away · Elmhurst
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth La Grange
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.8 mi away · La Grange
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.
Education14.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Downers Grove
Downers Grove's student/teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 58.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
15
within city limits
Private Schools
7
within city limits
College Degree Rate
58.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Downers Grove (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
10.8 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 · 4,015 students · in-state tuition $40,700 · 64% graduate · median earnings $59,389 (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)
Public · 2-year · 2,640 students · in-state tuition $5,662 · 30% graduate · median earnings $47,728 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,561 students · in-state tuition $40,608 · 64% graduate · median earnings $66,693 (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, 22 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Downers Grove
Downers Grove has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (22 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
22 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
49 mi awayPublic Libraries in Downers Grove
Downers Grove Public Library
1050 Curtiss Street, Downers Grove
Cities Near Downers Grove
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Downers Grove?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Downers Grove FAQ
Is Downers Grove, Illinois affordable?⌄
Downers Grove's median rent is $1,656/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $115,114/year. Median home value is $449,800.
Is Downers Grove, Illinois safe?⌄
Downers Grove's violent crime rate was 79 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 768 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Downers Grove, Illinois?⌄
Downers Grove has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Downers Grove, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Downers Grove is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,656/month and median household income is $115,114/year. The median home value is $449,800. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Downers Grove, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Downers Grove 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