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Living in
Skokie.
About
Life in Skokie
If you're considering Skokie, you're looking at a solidly middle-to-upper-middle-class suburb with a median household income around $95,337 and median home values near $387,000—reasonable for the Chicago area, though still a significant commitment. You'll have reliable CTA bus and rail access to downtown Chicago (about 27 minutes average commute), which matters if you work in the city, but you'll still need a car for most daily life since things are spread out. The community is genuinely diverse with strong Jewish, Assyrian, and Latino populations, reflected in local institutions like the Illinois Holocaust Museum, over a dozen synagogues, and varied cultural programming.
Skokie at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.7%
Foreign-Born
37.5%
Broadband Internet
94.1%
of households
Population Growth
-1.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics37.5% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Skokie: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Skokie, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (14.6%), and 13.8% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
22.3%
of residents
65 and Older
21.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.7%
of households
Married Couples
54.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.68
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 Skokie
In Skokie, rent runs 22% above the IL average, and home values are 47% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,048
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
74.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1959
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $427,043 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Skokie and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Skokie is 0.4 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 Skokie 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
Commute27.9 min avg
How Skokie residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Skokie, most residents drive alone to work (59%), and 57% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 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 54% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Skokie runs 54% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
151.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,561.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Skokie 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 Skokie, 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
Skokie 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 Skokie, 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
Skokie 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
Skokie 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
39.8"
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" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Skokie
Uninsured
5.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Skokie's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Saint Francis Hospital-evanston
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3 mi away · Evanston
Northshore University Healthsystem - Evanston Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.6 mi away · Evanston
Swedish Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.7 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.
Education12.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Skokie
Skokie's student/teacher ratio is 12.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 53.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
11
within city limits
College Degree Rate
53.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Skokie (within 15 miles)
University of Illinois Chicago
12.2 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 · 9,201 students · in-state tuition $70,589 · 97% graduate · median earnings $104,255 (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)
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 Skokie
Skokie 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
43 mi awayPublic Libraries in Skokie
Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton Street, Skokie
Cities Near Skokie
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Skokie?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Skokie FAQ
Is Skokie, Illinois affordable?⌄
Skokie's median rent is $1,552/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $95,337/year. Median home value is $387,200.
Is Skokie, Illinois safe?⌄
Skokie's violent crime rate was 151 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 2561 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Skokie, Illinois?⌄
Skokie has an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Skokie, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Skokie is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,552/month and median household income is $95,337/year. The median home value is $387,200. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Skokie, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Skokie 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