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Living in
Wheeling.
About
Life in Wheeling
Wheeling offers a solid middle-class suburban lifestyle with reasonable housing costs—median home values around $266,200 and median rent at $1,663 per month—that's more affordable than many Chicago-area communities. The job market is stable with 4.0% unemployment and diverse employment sectors, though you'll likely still commute 27 minutes on average for work, mostly heading toward Chicago or nearby employment hubs. The community is genuinely diverse, with visible Korean and Jewish populations reflected in cultural centers and institutions, plus a Wheeling International Festival celebrating the neighborhood's multicultural character.
Wheeling at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.0%
Foreign-Born
45.4%
Broadband Internet
94.2%
of households
Population Growth
-2.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics45.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Wheeling: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Wheeling, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (28.7%), and 25.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.6%
of residents
65 and Older
17.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.6%
of households
Married Couples
46.1%
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 31% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Wheeling
In Wheeling, rent runs 31% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,029
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1980
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $316,429 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Wheeling and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Wheeling is 0.6 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 Wheeling 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 Wheeling residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Wheeling, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 63% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 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 Wheeling runs 71% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
97.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
787.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Wheeling 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 Wheeling, 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
Wheeling is less than 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 Wheeling, 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
Wheeling is less than 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate82°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Wheeling has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
32.3"
Annual Snowfall
33.6"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
122
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 18°F | 1.33" |
| Feb | 36°F | 21°F | 1.28" |
| Mar | 47°F | 30°F | 1.84" |
| Apr | 58°F | 39°F | 3.31" |
| May | 70°F | 50°F | 3.76" |
| Jun | 80°F | 60°F | 3.97" |
| Jul | 84°F | 66°F | 3.15" |
| Aug | 82°F | 65°F | 3.70" |
| Sep | 75°F | 56°F | 3.04" |
| Oct | 63°F | 45°F | 3.11" |
| Nov | 49°F | 33°F | 2.15" |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 1.64" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Wheeling
Uninsured
10.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Wheeling's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northwest Community Hospital 1
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.7 mi away · Arlington Heights
Chicago Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 6.5 mi away · Des Plaines
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.4 mi away · Park Ridge
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 Wheeling
Wheeling's student/teacher ratio is 13.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 40.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
40.8%
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 & Universities in Wheeling
Worsham College of Mortuary Science
Private for-profit · 2-year · 183 students · in-state tuition $20,500 · 88% graduate · median earnings $61,393 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Chamberlain University-Illinois
13.8 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 · 9,201 students · in-state tuition $70,589 · 97% graduate · median earnings $104,255 (10 yrs after entry)
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College
13.8 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 4,372 students · in-state tuition $4,710 · 27% graduate · median earnings $47,007 (10 yrs after entry)
Northeastern Illinois University
14.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 3,982 students · in-state tuition $12,743 · 45% graduate · median earnings $56,278 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,813 students · in-state tuition $58,902 · 76% graduate · median earnings $70,470 (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, 34 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Wheeling
Wheeling has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (34 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
34 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
55 mi awayPublic Libraries in Wheeling
Indian Trails Public Library District
355 South Schoenbeck Road, Wheeling
Cities Near Wheeling
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Wheeling?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Wheeling FAQ
Is Wheeling, Illinois affordable?⌄
Wheeling's median rent is $1,663/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $85,205/year. Median home value is $266,200.
Is Wheeling, Illinois safe?⌄
Wheeling's violent crime rate was 97 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 787 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Wheeling, Illinois?⌄
Wheeling has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Wheeling, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Wheeling is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,663/month and median household income is $85,205/year. The median home value is $266,200. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Wheeling, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Wheeling 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