What it's like to live in Westchester
Westchester 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. Westchester deals with rent well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a population that has been shrinking, and cold winters.
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
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 42" per year
How Westchester compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Westchester
Based on Westchester's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,588
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $71,760 a year
- 25% of Westchester renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$65,460
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $32,730
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 27% above US
$1,794/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,794 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $327,300. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $327,300 · 25% 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▼ 84% below US
57 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 624/100k · Westchester Police Department · 2024 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.4 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 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▲ 21% above US
44% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 44% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 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 (18 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Westchester'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 air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,794/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Westchester
All Illinois guides →Moving to La Grange Park →
2 mi away · pop. 13,447
Rent $1,442/mo · Income $120,408
Compare with Westchester →Moving to Bellwood →
2 mi away · pop. 18,256
Rent $1,293/mo · Income $79,513
Compare with Westchester →Moving to Brookfield →
3 mi away · pop. 19,331
Rent $1,414/mo · Income $110,295
Compare with Westchester →Not sure Westchester is the one?
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