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Living in
St. Charles.
About
Life in St. Charles
St. Charles is a solidly affluent suburb with real downtown character—something that sets it apart from more sprawling commuter towns. The Fox River runs through the center, anchoring parks and recreational space, and the downtown has genuine life with theaters, restaurants, and shops that the Chicago Tribune ranked among the region's best.
St. Charles at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Foreign-Born
10.4%
Broadband Internet
95.0%
of households
Population Growth
+1.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in St. Charles: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In St. Charles, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (29.9%), and 9.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.1%
of residents
65 and Older
17.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.7%
of households
Married Couples
53.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.47
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 43% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in St. Charles
In St. Charles, rent runs 43% above the IL average, and home values are 43% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
56.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,309
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
70.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1984
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.8%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below IL average
Unemployment in St. Charles and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in St. Charles 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 St. Charles 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 min avg
How St. Charles residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In St. Charles, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 21 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 71% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in St. Charles runs 71% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
95.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
982.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
St. Charles Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 28 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
94.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Kane County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Kane County, which includes St. Charles, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 28 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | $16,500 |
| 2024 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $700,000 |
| 2022 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 20 | Hail | None reported |
| 2018 | 23 | Hail | $250,000 |
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
Kane County, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Kane County, which includes St. Charles, is typically good — 226 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
226
per year
Moderate Days
130
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Kane County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
St. Charles has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
38.5"
Annual Snowfall
46.2"
Hot Days/Year
14
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
134
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
129
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 16°F | 1.27" |
| Feb | 35°F | 19°F | 1.24" |
| Mar | 47°F | 28°F | 1.97" |
| Apr | 60°F | 38°F | 3.44" |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 4.34" |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 3.65" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 3.62" |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 3.84" |
| Sep | 76°F | 54°F | 3.00" |
| Oct | 62°F | 42°F | 2.99" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 2.20" |
| Dec | 35°F | 21°F | 1.67" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in St. Charles
Uninsured
4.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside St. Charles's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northwestern Medicine Delnor Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.7 mi away · Geneva
Elgin Mental Health Center
Psychiatric · ER available · 6.7 mi away · Elgin
Saint Joseph Hospital-elgin
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.1 mi away · Elgin
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.
Education13.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in St. Charles
St. Charles's student/teacher ratio is 13.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 52.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
19
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
52.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near St. Charles (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 16,114 students · in-state tuition $4,680 · 26% graduate · median earnings $51,188 (10 yrs after entry)
Chamberlain University-Illinois
14.2 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 14,027 students · in-state tuition $22,243 · 75% graduate · median earnings $96,897 (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 · 2,121 students · in-state tuition $47,770 · 88% graduate · median earnings $68,390 (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)
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, 39 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for St. Charles
St. Charles has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (39 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
39 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
66 mi awayPublic Libraries in St. Charles
Saint Charles Public Library District
One South Sixth Avenue, Saint Charles
Cities Near St. Charles
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to St. Charles?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
St. Charles FAQ
Is St. Charles, Illinois affordable?⌄
St. Charles's median rent is $1,819/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $114,300/year. Median home value is $377,400.
Is St. Charles, Illinois safe?⌄
St. Charles's violent crime rate was 95 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 983 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in St. Charles, Illinois?⌄
St. Charles has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in St. Charles, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in St. Charles is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,819/month and median household income is $114,300/year. The median home value is $377,400. About 57% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in St. Charles, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in St. Charles is 27 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