© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
McHenry.
About
Life in McHenry
If you're considering McHenry, know that you're looking at a genuine commuter suburb with real small-town amenities mixed in. The Fox River runs through downtown, which is broken into three distinct districts with local shops and restaurants—the RiverWalk connects some of these areas and hosts concerts and events throughout the year. That said, you'll need a car; while Metra service to downtown Chicago exists, your 30-minute average commute means you're banking on driving most days.
McHenry at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Foreign-Born
8.4%
Broadband Internet
96.2%
of households
Population Growth
+6.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in McHenry: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In McHenry, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (58.1%), and 10.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.8%
of residents
65 and Older
19.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
24.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.5%
of households
Married Couples
48.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.33
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 22% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in McHenry
In McHenry, rent runs 22% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,456
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
74.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1988
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $313,349 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below IL average
Unemployment in McHenry and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in McHenry 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 McHenry 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 min avg
How McHenry residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In McHenry, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 31 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 91% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in McHenry runs 91% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
30.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
510.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
McHenry Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
McHenry County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In McHenry County, which includes McHenry, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 28 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 11 | Winter Storm | $116,000 |
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
McHenry County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in McHenry County, which includes McHenry, is typically good — 247 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
247
per year
Moderate Days
105
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
McHenry County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 16°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
McHenry has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 16°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/16°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.0"
Annual Snowfall
34.5"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
144
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
119
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 13°F | 1.65" |
| Feb | 35°F | 16°F | 1.56" |
| Mar | 46°F | 26°F | 2.21" |
| Apr | 59°F | 37°F | 3.63" |
| May | 70°F | 47°F | 4.47" |
| Jun | 80°F | 57°F | 4.81" |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 3.80" |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 3.70" |
| Sep | 76°F | 51°F | 3.61" |
| Oct | 63°F | 40°F | 3.21" |
| Nov | 48°F | 29°F | 2.38" |
| Dec | 36°F | 19°F | 1.94" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in McHenry
McHenry has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Northwestern Medicine Mchenry
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Mercyhealth Hospital & Physician Clinic-crystal La
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Crystal Lake
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.4 mi away · Barrington
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.
Education13.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in McHenry
McHenry's student/teacher ratio is 13.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 25.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 57 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for McHenry
McHenry has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (57 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
57 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
78 mi awayPublic Libraries in McHenry
Mchenry Public Library District
809 Front Street, Mchenry
Cities Near McHenry
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to McHenry?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
McHenry FAQ
Is McHenry, Illinois affordable?⌄
McHenry's median rent is $1,553/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $86,315/year. Median home value is $266,500.
Is McHenry, Illinois safe?⌄
McHenry's violent crime rate was 31 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 510 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in McHenry, Illinois?⌄
McHenry has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in McHenry, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in McHenry is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,553/month and median household income is $86,315/year. The median home value is $266,500. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in McHenry, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in McHenry 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