What it's like to live in Vernon Hills
Vernon Hills 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. Vernon Hills deals with rent well above the national average, cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 43" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Vernon Hills compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Vernon Hills
Based on Vernon Hills's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,806
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $76,120 a year
- 45% of Vernon Hills renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$82,460
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $41,230
- Homes cost 3.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 35% above US
$1,903/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,903 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $412,300. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $412,300 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.0%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 79% below US
70 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 1069/100k · Vernon Hills Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.9 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; 29% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 16°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 88% above US
68% 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
13 public schools inside the boundary
There are 13 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, 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 (41 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Vernon Hills's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,903/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (29% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Vernon Hills
All Illinois guides →Moving to Libertyville →
4 mi away · pop. 20,525
Rent $1,637/mo · Income $165,667
Compare with Vernon Hills →Moving to Mundelein →
4 mi away · pop. 31,915
Rent $1,566/mo · Income $108,340
Compare with Vernon Hills →Moving to Buffalo Grove →
5 mi away · pop. 42,891
Rent $2,037/mo · Income $129,395
Compare with Vernon Hills →Moving to Lake Forest →
5 mi away · pop. 19,416
Rent $1,815/mo · Income $235,081
Compare with Vernon Hills →Not sure Vernon Hills is the one?
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