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Living in
Machesney Park.
About
Life in Machesney Park
Machesney Park is a community of 22,744 people in Illinois. The median household income is $75,489, median rent runs about $1,109 per month, and median home values are around $173,700. The unemployment rate is 5.6%.
Machesney Park at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.7%
Foreign-Born
4.3%
Broadband Internet
93.4%
of households
Population Growth
-0.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.3% foreign-born, most often from Poland
Who lives in Machesney Park: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Machesney Park, the largest foreign-born group is from Poland (14.1%), and 2.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.6%
of residents
65 and Older
17.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.4%
of households
Married Couples
48.8%
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 14% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Machesney Park
In Machesney Park, rent runs 14% below the IL average, and home values are 34% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
13.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,801
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
79.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $209,841 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts above IL average
Unemployment in Machesney Park
Unemployment in Winnebago County, which includes Machesney Park, is 0.8 percentage points higher than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
Machesney Park: Winnebago County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Winnebago County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Machesney Park Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.7 min avg
How Machesney Park residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Machesney Park, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 mi
Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD)
Regional airport · few flights146k passengers boarded in 2025
- 63 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 52% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Machesney Park runs 52% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
157.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,446.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Machesney Park Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 23 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
92.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Winnebago County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Winnebago County, which includes Machesney Park, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 23 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,000 |
| 2024 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.5M |
| 2023 | 19 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2022 | 29 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 23 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 23 | Winter Weather | $1,000 |
| 2018 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $500,000 |
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
Winnebago County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Winnebago County, which includes Machesney Park, is typically good — 244 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
244
per year
Moderate Days
105
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Winnebago County, county-wide
Climate78°F summers, 14°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Machesney Park has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and very cold winters (avg low 14°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
58°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
28°/14°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
38.7"
Annual Snowfall
38.0"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
142
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
125
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°F | 11°F | 1.60" |
| Feb | 29°F | 14°F | 1.52" |
| Mar | 42°F | 24°F | 2.13" |
| Apr | 55°F | 34°F | 3.72" |
| May | 67°F | 46°F | 4.34" |
| Jun | 76°F | 56°F | 5.64" |
| Jul | 80°F | 60°F | 3.36" |
| Aug | 78°F | 58°F | 4.14" |
| Sep | 71°F | 50°F | 3.83" |
| Oct | 58°F | 39°F | 2.77" |
| Nov | 43°F | 27°F | 2.40" |
| Dec | 31°F | 17°F | 1.96" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Machesney Park
Uninsured
4.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Machesney Park's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Javon Bea Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6 mi away · Rockford
Saint Anthony Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7 mi away · Rockford
Uw Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.3 mi away · Rockford
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.
Education14.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Machesney Park
Machesney Park's student/teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 19.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
19.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Machesney Park (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 4,359 students · in-state tuition $4,324 · 33% graduate · median earnings $44,656 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 1,145 students · in-state tuition $15,414 · 43% graduate · median earnings $47,524 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 972 students · in-state tuition $39,640 · 58% graduate · median earnings $58,999 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 926 students · in-state tuition $62,586 · 71% graduate · median earnings $59,443 (10 yrs after entry)
Saint Anthony College of Nursing
4.3 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 172 students · in-state tuition $28,648 · 83% graduate · median earnings $85,334 (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, 86 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Machesney Park
Machesney Park has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (86 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
86 mi awayCities Near Machesney Park
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Machesney Park?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Machesney Park FAQ
Is Machesney Park, Illinois affordable?⌄
Machesney Park's median rent is $1,102/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $75,489/year. Median home value is $173,700.
Is Machesney Park, Illinois safe?⌄
Machesney Park's violent crime rate was 158 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 1446 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Machesney Park, Illinois?⌄
Winnebago County, which includes Machesney Park, has an unemployment rate of 5.4%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Machesney Park, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Machesney Park is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,102/month and median household income is $75,489/year. The median home value is $173,700. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Machesney Park, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Machesney Park is 22 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