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Living in
Wheaton.
About
Life in Wheaton
Wheaton is a affluent suburban community that works well if you value strong schools, stable neighborhoods, and suburban convenience over urban energy. The median household income sits around $120,000 with homes averaging $456,000, so you're looking at a decidedly upscale demographic—about 58% of households are married couples, many with kids. The public school system genuinely delivers on its reputation, consistently earning top governance awards, though private school options like Wheaton Academy and St.
Wheaton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Foreign-Born
10.8%
Broadband Internet
95.7%
of households
Population Growth
+0.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Wheaton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Wheaton, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (9.3%), and 4.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.0%
of residents
65 and Older
17.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.8%
of households
Married Couples
57.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.54
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 41% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Wheaton
In Wheaton, rent runs 41% above the IL average, and home values are 73% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$9,443
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1976
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $507,044 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Wheaton and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Wheaton 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 Wheaton 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
Commute25.7 min avg
How Wheaton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Wheaton, most residents drive alone to work (60%), and 65% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 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 90% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Wheaton runs 90% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
33.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
473
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Wheaton Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 37 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
DuPage County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In DuPage County, which includes Wheaton, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 37 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | Thunderstorm Wind | $22,000 |
| 2024 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $40,000 |
| 2022 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 18 | Flood | $30,000 |
| 2019 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $560,000 |
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
DuPage County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in DuPage County, which includes Wheaton, is typically good — 233 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
233
per year
Moderate Days
126
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
DuPage County, county-wide
Climate83°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Wheaton has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.3"
Annual Snowfall
24.3"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
144
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
121
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 15°F | 2.19" |
| Feb | 35°F | 18°F | 1.96" |
| Mar | 47°F | 26°F | 2.36" |
| Apr | 59°F | 36°F | 3.82" |
| May | 71°F | 47°F | 4.79" |
| Jun | 81°F | 58°F | 4.43" |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 4.25" |
| Aug | 83°F | 60°F | 4.35" |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 3.36" |
| Oct | 63°F | 40°F | 3.58" |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 2.77" |
| Dec | 37°F | 21°F | 2.32" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Wheaton
Uninsured
2.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Wheaton's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northwestern Medicine Central Dupage Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.7 mi away · Winfield
Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Glenoaks
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.8 mi away · Glendale Heights
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.7 mi away · Downers Grove
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.
Education14.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Wheaton
Wheaton's student/teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 64.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
64.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Wheaton
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,121 students · in-state tuition $47,770 · 88% graduate · median earnings $68,390 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (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
7.4 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 · 3,006 students · in-state tuition $45,858 · 72% graduate · median earnings $67,398 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,561 students · in-state tuition $40,608 · 64% graduate · median earnings $66,693 (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)
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, 28 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Wheaton
Wheaton has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (28 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
28 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
54 mi awayPublic Libraries in Wheaton
Wheaton Public Library
225 North Cross Street, Wheaton
Cities Near Wheaton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Wheaton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Wheaton FAQ
Is Wheaton, Illinois affordable?⌄
Wheaton's median rent is $1,799/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $120,008/year. Median home value is $455,700.
Is Wheaton, Illinois safe?⌄
Wheaton's violent crime rate was 34 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 473 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Wheaton, Illinois?⌄
Wheaton 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 Wheaton, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Wheaton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,799/month and median household income is $120,008/year. The median home value is $455,700. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Wheaton, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Wheaton 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