What it's like to live in La Grange Park
La Grange Park is a small 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. La Grange Park deals with home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 42" per year
How La Grange Park compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to La Grange Park
Based on La Grange Park's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,884
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $57,680 a year
- 54% of La Grange Park renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$87,960
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $43,980
- Homes cost 3.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,442/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,442 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $439,800. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $439,800 · 54% 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▼ 82% below US
60 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 388/100k · La Grange Park Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 12% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29 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; 5% 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, with lows around 22°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 59% above US
57% 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
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. 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 (17 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
La Grange Park's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,442/mo) equals 14% 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.
Other places near La Grange Park
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