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Living in
Plainfield.
About
Life in Plainfield
Plainfield is a mature Chicago suburb where you'll find plenty of young families and established households—about 70 percent of homes are married-couple families, and the median age hovers around 37 years old. The community has real wealth, with a median household income above $142,000 and median home values around $398,000, so expect a generally affluent environment with strong schools, though enrollment in the main district has declined from its 2011 peak. Your commute to Chicago proper averages 34 minutes via I-55, with Pace bus service available during rush hours to the Medical District and East Loop if you need it.
Plainfield at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.2%
Foreign-Born
14.7%
Broadband Internet
96.7%
of households
Population Growth
+11.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.7% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Plainfield: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Plainfield, the largest foreign-born group is from India (25.8%), and 6.7% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
28.5%
of residents
65 and Older
9.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
48.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
14.3%
of households
Married Couples
69.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.17
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 66% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Plainfield
In Plainfield, rent runs 66% above the IL average, and home values are 64% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$9,490
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
88.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2003
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $428,671 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Plainfield and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Plainfield is 0.9 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 Plainfield 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
Commute33.3 min avg
How Plainfield residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Plainfield, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 44% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 26 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 30 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 78% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Plainfield runs 78% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
72.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
426.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Plainfield Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 39 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Will County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Will County, which includes Plainfield, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 39 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.3M |
| 2024 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | $250,000 |
| 2023 | 24 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,000 |
| 2019 | 30 | Hail | None reported |
| 2018 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $33,000 |
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
Will County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Will County, which includes Plainfield, is typically good — 225 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
225
per year
Moderate Days
135
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Will County, county-wide
Climate83°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Plainfield has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.1"
Annual Snowfall
29.2"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
123
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
131
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 16°F | 2.19" |
| Feb | 36°F | 20°F | 1.98" |
| Mar | 49°F | 30°F | 2.71" |
| Apr | 61°F | 40°F | 4.11" |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 4.81" |
| Jun | 82°F | 60°F | 4.68" |
| Jul | 85°F | 65°F | 4.50" |
| Aug | 83°F | 63°F | 4.36" |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.31" |
| Oct | 64°F | 44°F | 3.67" |
| Nov | 49°F | 32°F | 2.67" |
| Dec | 37°F | 22°F | 2.15" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Plainfield
Uninsured
3.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Plainfield's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Copley Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.7 mi away · Aurora
Saint Joseph Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8 mi away · Joliet
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Bolingbrook
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.3 mi away · Bolingbrook
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.
Education15.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Plainfield
Plainfield's student/teacher ratio is 15.8:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 56.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
18
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
56.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Plainfield (within 15 miles)
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 · 3,974 students · in-state tuition $29,970 · 67% graduate · median earnings $64,180 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,428 students · in-state tuition $47,340 · 72% graduate · median earnings $65,646 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,942 students · in-state tuition $37,650 · 60% graduate · median earnings $67,314 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,223 students · in-state tuition $38,900 · 71% graduate · median earnings $69,137 (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, 32 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Plainfield
Plainfield has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (32 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
32 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
58 mi awayPublic Libraries in Plainfield
Plainfield Public Library District
15025 South Illinois Street, Plainfield
Cities Near Plainfield
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Plainfield?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Plainfield FAQ
Is Plainfield, Illinois affordable?⌄
Plainfield's median rent is $2,119/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $144,000/year. Median home value is $431,400.
Is Plainfield, Illinois safe?⌄
Plainfield's violent crime rate was 72 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 427 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Plainfield, Illinois?⌄
Plainfield has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Plainfield, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Plainfield is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,119/month and median household income is $144,000/year. The median home value is $431,400. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Plainfield, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Plainfield is 33 minutes, which is longer than 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