What it's like to live in River Grove
River Grove is a small city in Illinois with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, 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. River Grove deals with commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 38" per year
How River Grove compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to River Grove
Based on River Grove's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,428
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $48,560 a year
- 32% of River Grove renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$48,360
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,180
- Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 14% below US
$1,214/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,214 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $241,800. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $241,800 · 32% 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▼ 68% below US
106 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 1203/100k · River Grove Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 18% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.8 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; 9% take public transit; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 22°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 31% below US
25% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 25%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary. 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 (20 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
River Grove's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are commute times longer than most cities and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,214/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near River Grove
All Illinois guides →Moving to Elmwood Park →
1 mi away · pop. 23,868
Rent $1,334/mo · Income $91,955
Compare with River Grove →Moving to Melrose Park →
2 mi away · pop. 24,549
Rent $1,176/mo · Income $66,189
Compare with River Grove →Moving to River Forest →
2 mi away · pop. 11,992
Rent $1,554/mo · Income $146,786
Compare with River Grove →Moving to Franklin Park →
2 mi away · pop. 18,197
Rent $1,109/mo · Income $76,519
Compare with River Grove →Not sure River Grove is the one?
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