What it's like to live in Homewood
Homewood 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. Homewood deals with commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a population that has been shrinking, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Homewood compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Homewood
Based on Homewood's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,666
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $53,320 a year
- 53% of Homewood renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$44,220
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $22,110
- Homes cost 2.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,333/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,333 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $221,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $221,100 · 53% 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▼ 53% below US
156 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 2617/100k · Homewood Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 27% above US
33 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 33.1 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; 11% take public transit; 17% 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▲ 32% above US
47% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 47% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, 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 (10 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Homewood'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 ($1,333/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home), and people who would rather not drive. It may be a harder fit for people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Homewood
All Illinois guides →Moving to Hazel Crest →
2 mi away · pop. 13,792
Rent $1,320/mo · Income $68,393
Compare with Homewood →Moving to Country Club Hills →
3 mi away · pop. 16,324
Rent $1,709/mo · Income $75,197
Compare with Homewood →Not sure Homewood is the one?
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