Moving to
Carpentersville.

All Carpentersville data Compare Carpentersville

37,346people live here $86,917median household incomeNear US average $1,414median rent per monthNear US average $234,100median home value▼ 30% below US

What it's like to live in Carpentersville

Carpentersville is a small city in Illinois with home prices that remain within reach, 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. Carpentersville deals with unemployment above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and cold, harsh winters.

The good

Affordable home prices
Low crime rates
Low student-teacher ratio

The not so good

Above-average unemployment
Above-average commute times
Air quality concerns
Cold, harsh winters
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How Carpentersville compares

Median household income

Carpentersville$86,917

Illinois avg$83,390

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Carpentersville$1,414

Illinois avg$1,274

US$1,413

Median home value

Carpentersville$234,100

Illinois avg$263,300

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Carpentersville

Based on Carpentersville's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,828

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $56,560 a year
42% of Carpentersville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$46,820

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $23,410
Homes cost 2.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,414/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,414 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $234,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.

Median home value $234,100 · 42% of renters cost-burdened

Job market▲ 40% above US

6.0% unemployment

Unemployment here is 6.0%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.

City-level (BLS)

Safety▼ 46% below US

179 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 679/100k · Carpentersville Police Department · 2025 data

Getting aroundNear US average

28 min average commute

Commutes run about average, at 28.2 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

71%

Carpool

15%

Work from home

11%

Other

1.7%

Walk

0.9%

Public transit

0.7%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 17°F.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▼ 32% 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

15 public schools inside the boundary

There are 15 public schools inside the boundary. 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 (46 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Carpentersville's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,414/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up, anyone who doesn't drive, and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.

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