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Living in
Elmhurst.
About
Life in Elmhurst
If you're considering Elmhurst, know that you're looking at a solidly affluent suburban community with excellent schools and a mature, family-focused demographic. The median household income is strong at $150,000, and with a college degree rate around 63%, you'll find a well-educated population—though that affluence does come with a median home price near $545,000 and rent around $1,975 monthly. The city has real character, especially if you appreciate architectural history; it's home to notable homes by Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe, and cultural events like the spring Art in Wilder Park festival draw visitors and keep the community engaged.
Elmhurst at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Foreign-Born
11.0%
Broadband Internet
93.5%
of households
Population Growth
+0.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.0% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Elmhurst: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Elmhurst, the largest foreign-born group is from India (19.8%), and 6.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.2%
of residents
65 and Older
19.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.1%
of households
Married Couples
63.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.64
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 55% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Elmhurst
In Elmhurst, rent runs 55% above the IL average, and home values are 107% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$9,466
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
79.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1966
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $635,289 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Elmhurst and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Elmhurst is 0.7 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 Elmhurst 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
Commute29.1 min avg
How Elmhurst residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Elmhurst, most residents drive alone to work (57%), and 54% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 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 92% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Elmhurst runs 92% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
26
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
746.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst, 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
Elmhurst is about 5% 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 Elmhurst, 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
Elmhurst is about 5% of DuPage County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate82°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Elmhurst has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
38.6"
Annual Snowfall
42.3"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
121
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
133
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 19°F | 1.99" |
| Feb | 36°F | 22°F | 1.97" |
| Mar | 47°F | 31°F | 2.45" |
| Apr | 59°F | 40°F | 3.75" |
| May | 71°F | 51°F | 4.49" |
| Jun | 80°F | 61°F | 4.10" |
| Jul | 85°F | 66°F | 3.71" |
| Aug | 83°F | 65°F | 4.25" |
| Sep | 76°F | 57°F | 3.19" |
| Oct | 63°F | 45°F | 3.43" |
| Nov | 48°F | 34°F | 2.42" |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 2.11" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Elmhurst
Elmhurst has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
2.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Elmhurst Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Loyola Gottlieb Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Melrose Park
Hines VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 6 mi away · Hines
Loyola University Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Maywood
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.
Education13.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Elmhurst
Elmhurst's student/teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 64.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
14
within city limits
Private Schools
7
within city limits
College Degree Rate
64.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Elmhurst
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,006 students · in-state tuition $45,858 · 72% graduate · median earnings $67,398 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (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
6.1 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 14,027 students · in-state tuition $22,243 · 75% graduate · median earnings $96,897 (10 yrs after entry)
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College
9 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 4,372 students · in-state tuition $4,710 · 27% graduate · median earnings $47,007 (10 yrs after entry)
Northeastern Illinois University
12.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 3,982 students · in-state tuition $12,743 · 45% graduate · median earnings $56,278 (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 Elmhurst
Elmhurst 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
47 mi awayPublic Libraries in Elmhurst
Elmhurst Public Library
125 South Prospect Avenue, Elmhurst
Cities Near Elmhurst
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Elmhurst?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Elmhurst FAQ
Is Elmhurst, Illinois affordable?⌄
Elmhurst's median rent is $1,975/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $149,644/year. Median home value is $545,400.
Is Elmhurst, Illinois safe?⌄
Elmhurst's violent crime rate was 26 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 747 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Elmhurst, Illinois?⌄
Elmhurst has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Elmhurst, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Elmhurst is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,975/month and median household income is $149,644/year. The median home value is $545,400. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Elmhurst, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Elmhurst 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