What it's like to live in Lockport
Lockport 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 a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lockport deals with long average commutes, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Long commutes
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Lockport compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lockport
Based on Lockport's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,050
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $61,000 a year
- 51% of Lockport renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$63,200
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $31,600
- 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
$1,525/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,525 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 $316,000. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $316,000 · 51% 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▼ 88% below US
41 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 417/100k · Lockport Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 36% above US
35 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 35.3 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. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% 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 19°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 24% above US
45% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 45% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 4 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, 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 (23 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lockport's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are long average commutes and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,525/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for people who dread long commutes.
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