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Living in
Sycamore.
About
Life in Sycamore
Living in Sycamore puts you in a genuine Midwestern county seat with real roots — it's the kind of place where the downtown still matters, centered on the historic commercial district along Route 64 with actual local shops and a limestone courthouse from 1904 rather than a strip mall wasteland. The population sits around 18,200, giving you that sweet spot where you're not anonymous but you're not bumping into the same five people constantly, and the median household income of around $84,000 paired with a median home value of $266,000 means housing is legitimately affordable compared to most of Illinois — you're getting actual space without the Chicago price tag. The job market is stable if not flashy; Ideal Industries manufactures here, and there's white-collar work available, though your 26-minute average commute suggests plenty of people are trading time for better opportunities in DeKalb or further toward Chicago.
Sycamore at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.1%
Foreign-Born
6.1%
Broadband Internet
96.5%
of households
Population Growth
+2.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Sycamore: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sycamore, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (35.6%), and 6.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.5%
of residents
65 and Older
13.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.2%
of households
Married Couples
51.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.49
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 11% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Sycamore
In Sycamore, rent runs 11% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
32.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,567
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1993
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $317,584 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IL
Unemployment in Sycamore
Unemployment in DeKalb County, which includes Sycamore, is close to the IL average.
Unemployment rate
Sycamore: DeKalb County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
DeKalb County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Sycamore Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute26.3 min avg
How Sycamore residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sycamore, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 25 mi
Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD)
Regional airport · few flights146k passengers boarded in 2025
- 40 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 86% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sycamore runs 86% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
47.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
824.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sycamore Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 19 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
80.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
DeKalb County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In DeKalb County, which includes Sycamore, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 19 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 25 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 15 | Hail | None reported |
| 2018 | 10 | Hail | $27,000 |
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
DeKalb County, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Kane County, IL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 14 miles from Sycamore) 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
Nearest EPA monitor county: Kane County, IL (14 mi away)
Climate81°F summers, 16°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Sycamore has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 16°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
31°/16°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
34.6"
Annual Snowfall
38.9"
Hot Days/Year
13
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
141
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
119
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 13°F | 1.69" |
| Feb | 33°F | 17°F | 1.71" |
| Mar | 45°F | 27°F | 2.24" |
| Apr | 59°F | 37°F | 3.56" |
| May | 70°F | 49°F | 4.79" |
| Jun | 80°F | 60°F | 4.57" |
| Jul | 83°F | 63°F | 4.00" |
| Aug | 81°F | 61°F | 4.06" |
| Sep | 75°F | 53°F | 3.32" |
| Oct | 62°F | 41°F | 2.96" |
| Nov | 46°F | 30°F | 2.31" |
| Dec | 34°F | 19°F | 2.04" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sycamore
Uninsured
2.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Sycamore's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.1 mi away · Dekalb
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.
Education14.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Sycamore
Sycamore's student/teacher ratio is 14.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 46.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
46.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Sycamore (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 11,301 students · in-state tuition $13,792 · 64% graduate · median earnings $61,351 (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, 59 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sycamore
Sycamore has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (59 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
59 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in Sycamore
Sycamore Public Library
103 East State Street, Sycamore
Cities Near Sycamore
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Sycamore?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sycamore FAQ
Is Sycamore, Illinois affordable?⌄
Sycamore's median rent is $1,140/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $84,120/year. Median home value is $265,700.
Is Sycamore, Illinois safe?⌄
Sycamore's violent crime rate was 47 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 825 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sycamore, Illinois?⌄
DeKalb County, which includes Sycamore, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sycamore, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Sycamore is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,140/month and median household income is $84,120/year. The median home value is $265,700. About 32% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sycamore, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Sycamore is 26 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