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Living in
Wilmette.
About
Life in Wilmette
If you're considering Wilmette, understand upfront that you're looking at one of Illinois' most expensive real estate markets—median home values around $802,000 and median rents near $1,968 monthly. The trade-off is genuine: excellent schools, low poverty rates, and a well-maintained community with tree-lined streets and 300+ acres of parks. The Baháʼí House of Worship draws some visitors, but this is primarily a residential suburb where people are raising families and staying put—the median age is nearly 45, and 68% of households are married couples.
Wilmette at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
45.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.2%
Foreign-Born
14.6%
Broadband Internet
94.7%
of households
Population Growth
-2.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.6% foreign-born, most often from Korea
Who lives in Wilmette: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Wilmette, the largest foreign-born group is from Korea (13.1%), and 3.8% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
30.5%
of residents
65 and Older
21.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
39.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.1%
of households
Married Couples
65.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.66
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 55% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Wilmette
In Wilmette, rent runs 55% above the IL average, and home values are 208% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
87.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1957
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,007,001 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Wilmette and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Wilmette 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 Wilmette 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
Commute34.6 min avg
How Wilmette residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Wilmette, most residents drive alone to work (41%), and 44% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 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 Wilmette runs 90% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
33
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
864.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Wilmette 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 Wilmette, 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
Wilmette 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 Wilmette, 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
Wilmette is less than 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
Wilmette 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
36.8"
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 Wilmette
Uninsured
1.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside Wilmette's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northshore University Healthsystem - Evanston Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.4 mi away · Evanston
Saint Francis Hospital-evanston
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.3 mi away · Evanston
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.8 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.
Education11.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Wilmette
Wilmette's student/teacher ratio is 11.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 83.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
83.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Wilmette (within 15 miles)
University of Illinois Chicago
14.7 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, 27 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Wilmette
Wilmette has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (27 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
27 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
44 mi awayPublic Libraries in Wilmette
Wilmette Public Library District
1242 Wilmette Avenue, Wilmette
Cities Near Wilmette
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Wilmette?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Wilmette FAQ
Is Wilmette, Illinois affordable?⌄
Wilmette's median rent is $1,978/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $190,662/year. Median home value is $810,600.
Is Wilmette, Illinois safe?⌄
Wilmette's violent crime rate was 33 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 865 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Wilmette, Illinois?⌄
Wilmette has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Wilmette, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Wilmette is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,978/month and median household income is $190,662/year. The median home value is $810,600. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Wilmette, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Wilmette is 35 minutes, which is longer than 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