What it's like to live in Bolingbrook
Bolingbrook is a smaller city in Illinois with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, 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. Bolingbrook deals with rent well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Bolingbrook compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bolingbrook
Based on Bolingbrook's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,498
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $69,960 a year
- 52% of Bolingbrook renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$62,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $31,470
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 24% above US
$1,749/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,749 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $314,700. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $314,700 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 33% below US
220 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 660/100k · Bolingbrook Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 15% above US
30 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 17% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 19°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
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▲ 10% above US
40% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 40% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
14 public schools inside the boundary
There are 14 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, 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 (25 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bolingbrook's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,749/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Bolingbrook
All Illinois guides →Moving to Romeoville →
4 mi away · pop. 41,152
Rent $1,886/mo · Income $106,325
Compare with Bolingbrook →Moving to Woodridge →
5 mi away · pop. 33,941
Rent $1,494/mo · Income $101,000
Compare with Bolingbrook →Not sure Bolingbrook is the one?
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