What it's like to live in Downers Grove
Downers Grove 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. Downers Grove deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and cold, harsh winters.
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
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- Cold, harsh winters
How Downers Grove compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Downers Grove
Based on Downers Grove's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,312
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $66,240 a year
- 48% of Downers Grove renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$89,960
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $44,980
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 17% above US
$1,656/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,656 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $449,800. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $449,800 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 12% below US
3.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 76% below US
79 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 768/100k · Downers Grove Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.8 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% take public transit; 24% 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 18°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 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 62% above US
58% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
15 public schools inside the boundary
There are 15 public schools inside the boundary and 7 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 (22 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Downers Grove'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 home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,656/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (24% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Downers Grove
All Illinois guides →Moving to Westmont →
2 mi away · pop. 23,724
Rent $1,533/mo · Income $88,090
Compare with Downers Grove →Moving to Lisle →
4 mi away · pop. 23,407
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Compare with Downers Grove →Moving to Darien →
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Compare with Downers Grove →Moving to Woodridge →
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