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Living in
Woodstock.
About
Life in Woodstock
Woodstock offers a genuine small-city feel with real downtown bones—the Opera House and historic square actually anchor community life rather than just look nice. You'll find a solid music scene here with regular live performances at multiple venues, a folk festival, and active school music programs that matter to families. The Latino community is sizable at roughly 19% of residents, adding real cultural diversity to what could otherwise feel like generic suburbia.
Woodstock at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Foreign-Born
13.5%
Broadband Internet
94.5%
of households
Population Growth
+0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Woodstock: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Woodstock, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (72.7%), and 20.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.1%
of residents
65 and Older
16.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.3%
of households
Married Couples
42.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.39
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 about average for IL
Rent, home values, and income in Woodstock
In Woodstock, home values are 7% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,482
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1989
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $335,184 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Woodstock and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Woodstock is 0.4 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 Woodstock 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
Commute24.6 min avg
How Woodstock residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Woodstock, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 64% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 34 mi
Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD)
Regional airport · few flights146k passengers boarded in 2025
- 36 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 Woodstock runs 86% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
46.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
547.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Woodstock Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
McHenry County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In McHenry County, which includes Woodstock, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 28 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 11 | Winter Storm | $116,000 |
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
McHenry County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in McHenry County, which includes Woodstock, is typically good — 247 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
247
per year
Moderate Days
105
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
McHenry County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 17°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Woodstock has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 17°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/17°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.3"
Annual Snowfall
35.1"
Hot Days/Year
22
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
136
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
110
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 14°F | 1.97" |
| Feb | 35°F | 16°F | 1.84" |
| Mar | 47°F | 26°F | 2.51" |
| Apr | 59°F | 37°F | 3.76" |
| May | 71°F | 48°F | 4.98" |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 5.26" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 3.90" |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 3.81" |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 3.54" |
| Oct | 62°F | 42°F | 3.20" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 2.48" |
| Dec | 36°F | 20°F | 2.10" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Woodstock
Uninsured
6.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Woodstock's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northwestern Medicine Mchenry
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.1 mi away · Mchenry
Mercyhealth Hospital & Physician Clinic-crystal La
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.6 mi away · Crystal Lake
Mercy Harvard Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 11.9 mi away · Harvard
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.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Woodstock
Woodstock's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 30.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
30.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 60 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Woodstock
Woodstock has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (60 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
60 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
83 mi awayPublic Libraries in Woodstock
Woodstock Public Library
414 West Judd Street, Woodstock
Cities Near Woodstock
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Woodstock?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Woodstock FAQ
Is Woodstock, Illinois affordable?⌄
Woodstock's median rent is $1,212/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $82,758/year. Median home value is $245,700.
Is Woodstock, Illinois safe?⌄
Woodstock's violent crime rate was 46 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 547 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Woodstock, Illinois?⌄
Woodstock has an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Woodstock, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Woodstock is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,212/month and median household income is $82,758/year. The median home value is $245,700. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Woodstock, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Woodstock is 25 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