What it's like to live in Calumet City
Calumet City is a small city in Illinois with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Calumet City deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- Shrinking population
How Calumet City compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Calumet City
Based on Calumet City's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,354
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $47,080 a year
- 60% of Calumet City renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$29,040
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $14,520
- Homes cost 2.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 17% below US
$1,177/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,177 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $145,200. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $145,200 · 60% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 53% above US
6.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 6.6%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 32% below US
225 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 1899/100k · Calumet City Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 32% above US
34 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 34.4 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; 9% take public transit; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 41% below US
21% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 21%. 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. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (6 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Calumet City's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,177/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Calumet City
All Illinois guides →Moving to South Holland →
3 mi away · pop. 20,911
Rent $1,856/mo · Income $85,280
Compare with Calumet City →Moving to Lansing →
3 mi away · pop. 28,284
Rent $1,268/mo · Income $75,569
Compare with Calumet City →Not sure Calumet City is the one?
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