What it's like to live in Tinley Park
Tinley Park is a smaller city in Illinois with household incomes running above the national average, 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. Tinley Park deals with commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and cold winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Cold winters
How Tinley Park compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Tinley Park
Based on Tinley Park's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,990
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $59,800 a year
- 46% of Tinley Park renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$59,980
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $29,990
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,495/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,495 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 $299,900. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $299,900 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.2%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 72% below US
93 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 1108/100k · Tinley Park Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 30% above US
34 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 33.7 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; 12% 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 & workforceNear US average
37% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 37% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
13 public schools inside the boundary
There are 13 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. 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 (13 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Tinley Park's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below 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 ($1,495/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Tinley Park
All Illinois guides →Moving to Oak Forest →
4 mi away · pop. 26,805
Rent $1,328/mo · Income $91,990
Compare with Tinley Park →Moving to Orland Park →
4 mi away · pop. 57,916
Rent $1,440/mo · Income $98,910
Compare with Tinley Park →Moving to Country Club Hills →
4 mi away · pop. 16,324
Rent $1,709/mo · Income $75,197
Compare with Tinley Park →Not sure Tinley Park is the one?
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