What it's like to live in Berwyn
Berwyn is a smaller city in Illinois with rent below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Berwyn deals with commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a population that has been shrinking, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 39" per year
How Berwyn compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Berwyn
Based on Berwyn's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,430
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $48,600 a year
- 51% of Berwyn renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$59,960
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $29,980
- Homes cost 3.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 14% below US
$1,215/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,215 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $299,800. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $299,800 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 16% above US
5.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.0%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 51% below US
161 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1596/100k · Berwyn Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 12% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 5% take public transit; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 22°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 33% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
13 public schools inside the boundary
There are 13 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (14 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Berwyn's strongest points are rent below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are commute times longer than most cities and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,215/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Berwyn
All Illinois guides →Not sure Berwyn is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.