What it's like to live in Evergreen Park
Evergreen Park is a small city in Illinois with home prices that remain within reach, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Evergreen Park deals with commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a population that has been shrinking, and cold winters.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 39" per year
How Evergreen Park compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Evergreen Park
Based on Evergreen Park's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,840
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $56,800 a year
- 41% of Evergreen Park renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$53,500
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $26,750
- Homes cost 2.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,420/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,420 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 $267,500. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $267,500 · 41% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Cook County is 4.8%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Cook County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 60% below US
131 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 5479/100k · Evergreen Park Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 23% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 32.1 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. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% take public transit; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence. 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 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 19% above US
43% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 43% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 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 (5 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Evergreen Park's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and household incomes running above 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 ($1,420/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (15% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Evergreen Park
All Illinois guides →Moving to Oak Lawn →
3 mi away · pop. 56,861
Rent $1,335/mo · Income $83,911
Compare with Evergreen Park →Moving to Burbank →
4 mi away · pop. 28,739
Rent $1,265/mo · Income $80,116
Compare with Evergreen Park →Moving to Alsip →
4 mi away · pop. 18,583
Rent $1,140/mo · Income $66,585
Compare with Evergreen Park →Moving to Chicago Ridge →
4 mi away · pop. 14,099
Rent $1,304/mo · Income $68,964
Compare with Evergreen Park →Not sure Evergreen Park is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.