© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Evanston.
About
Life in Evanston
If you're considering Evanston, understand that this is an urban, transit-connected suburb—not a quiet residential enclave. Northwestern University dominates the character and real estate market, which means you'll live in close proximity to student housing, university facilities, and the foot traffic that comes with a major research institution. Housing costs reflect this reality: median home values around $481,000 and median rent near $1,700 monthly are well above national averages, though the median household income of nearly $96,000 suggests many residents can manage it.
Evanston at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.8%
Foreign-Born
16.2%
Broadband Internet
93.8%
of households
Population Growth
-2.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.2% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Evanston: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Evanston, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (10.1%), and 7.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
17.9%
of residents
65 and Older
18.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.2%
of households
Married Couples
40.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.17
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 38% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Evanston
In Evanston, rent runs 38% above the IL average, and home values are 83% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,863
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
56.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1953
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $491,476 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IL
Unemployment in Evanston and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Evanston is close to the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Evanston 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
Commute27.5 min avg
How Evanston residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Evanston, most residents drive alone to work (41%), and 56% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 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 65% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Evanston runs 65% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
115.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,384.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Evanston 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 Evanston, 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
Evanston 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 Evanston, 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
Evanston is about 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate81°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Evanston has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.3"
Annual Snowfall
33.6"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
128
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
130
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 16°F | 2.10" |
| Feb | 36°F | 19°F | 1.98" |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.26" |
| Apr | 57°F | 38°F | 4.00" |
| May | 68°F | 48°F | 4.84" |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 4.31" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 3.74" |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 4.16" |
| Sep | 75°F | 55°F | 3.56" |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 3.59" |
| Nov | 49°F | 33°F | 2.63" |
| Dec | 38°F | 22°F | 2.34" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 3.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Evanston
Evanston has 2 hospitals, averaging 3.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
4.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.5 / 5
Northshore University Healthsystem - Evanston Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Northshore University Healthsystem - Evanston Hospital · 2650 Ridge Ave
- Hospital campus: Highland Park Hospital · 777 Park Ave W, Highland Park
Saint Francis Hospital-evanston
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Swedish Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.9 mi away · Chicago
Methodist Hospital of Chicago
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Chicago
Montrose Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 5.8 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. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education11.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Evanston
Evanston's student/teacher ratio is 11.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 69.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
18
within city limits
Private Schools
9
within city limits
College Degree Rate
69.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Evanston
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 9,201 students · in-state tuition $70,589 · 97% graduate · median earnings $104,255 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
University of Illinois Chicago
12.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 22,170 students · in-state tuition $14,652 · 70% graduate · median earnings $73,666 (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)
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 · 5,368 students · in-state tuition $37,344 · 54% graduate · median earnings $48,427 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,406 students · in-state tuition $13,020 · 46% graduate · median earnings $52,883 (10 yrs after entry)
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College
7.7 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 4,372 students · in-state tuition $4,710 · 27% graduate · median earnings $47,007 (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, 25 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Evanston
Evanston has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (25 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
25 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
42 mi awayPublic Libraries in Evanston
Evanston Public Library
1703 Orrington Avenue, Evanston
Robert Crown Branch Library
1801 Main Street, Evanston
Cities Near Evanston
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Evanston?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Evanston FAQ
Is Evanston, Illinois affordable?⌄
Evanston's median rent is $1,762/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $96,434/year. Median home value is $481,200.
Is Evanston, Illinois safe?⌄
Evanston's violent crime rate was 115 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 2385 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Evanston, Illinois?⌄
Evanston has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Evanston, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Evanston is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,762/month and median household income is $96,434/year. The median home value is $481,200. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Evanston, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Evanston 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