What it's like to live in Hoffman Estates
Hoffman Estates 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. Hoffman Estates deals with rent well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a population that has been shrinking.
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
- Shrinking population
- Cold, harsh winters
How Hoffman Estates compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hoffman Estates
Based on Hoffman Estates's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,468
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $69,360 a year
- 48% of Hoffman Estates renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$70,380
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $35,190
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 23% above US
$1,734/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,734 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 $351,900. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $351,900 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
3.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 77% below US
75 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 669/100k · Hoffman Estates Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.5 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 16°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 5.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 35% above US
49% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 49% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
14 public schools inside the boundary
There are 14 public schools inside the boundary and 4 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 (38 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Hoffman Estates'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 ($1,734/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, remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
See all the data for Hoffman Estates →·All Illinois cities →
Other places near Hoffman Estates
All Illinois guides →Moving to Streamwood →
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Rent $1,809/mo · Income $101,218
Compare with Hoffman Estates →Moving to Schaumburg →
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Compare with Hoffman Estates →Moving to Hanover Park →
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