Living in Elgin, IL
Elgin is the 268th-largest city in the US, home to about 115,000 people in 2025. Its population has been roughly flat since 2020. Prices across the metro area run close to the national average (103.6 on an index where the US is 100).
- Population, 2025
- 115,476+0.6% since 2020
- Median home value
- $273,0003.0 years of median income
- Median rent
- $1,361/morent plus utilities
- Household income
- $90,282median, per year
- Price level
- 103.6US average = 100
- January / July highs
- 30° / 84°lows 14° / 63°
- Average commute
- 28 min13% work from home
- State income tax
- 4.95%top rate, flat
Been to Elgin?
Added to your city passport. See things to do
Added to the wishlist on your city passport.
County: Kane County, Cook County
Time zone: Central Time (UTC-6, UTC-5 in summer)
Elevation: about 745 ft
Metro area: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Cost of living in Elgin
The median home in Elgin is worth $273,000 and the median household earns $90,282 a year, so a typical home costs about 3.0 years of income. Median gross rent (rent plus utilities) is $1,361 a month, about 18% of the median household's income. BEA puts overall prices in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area at 103.6, with housing at 112.0 and goods at 107.3 (US = 100). In practice, a $75,000 salary in an average-priced place stretches about as far as $77,700 here. Illinois taxes wages at a top rate of 4.95% (a flat rate). The average combined state and local sales tax in Illinois is 8.98%.
What would my salary be worth in Elgin?
Elgin weather
Average highs run from 30°F in January to 84°F in July, and January nights average 14°F. It gets 40 inches of rain and melted snow a year and 32 inches of snow. Nights drop below freezing about 139 times a year. The most comfortable months are June to September.
Month-by-month weather and the best time to visit Elgin
People and work
The median resident is 36.7 years old, and 27% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 72% of households own their home. The average one-way commute is 28 minutes; 13% of workers work from home.
- Median age
- 36.7281st youngest of 546
- Bachelor's or higher
- 27%adults 25+
- Homeowners
- 72%of households
- People per sq mile
- 3,02538.2 sq mi of land
- Take transit to work
- 2%1% walk, 0.5% bike
- Unemployment
- 6.1%2020-2024 average
- Poverty rate
- 9.8%of residents
- Typical home built
- 1977median year
Who moves to Elgin, and where people go
From farther away, newcomers most often come from Phoenix (Maricopa County), Los Angeles (Los Angeles County) and Las Vegas (Clark County). People who leave for somewhere more than 100 miles away most often head to Phoenix (Maricopa County), Cape Coral (Lee County) and Los Angeles (Los Angeles County). See the map and full lists
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years. Where Americans are moving.
Natural hazards, home prices and air quality
Natural hazard risk
Relatively High
FEMA rating for Kane County, scored against every US county. Biggest risks: cold wave, tornado, inland flooding, lightning.
Home prices
+6% in a year
Up 53% over five years. FHFA house price index for the Elgin, IL (MSAD) area, 2026 Q2.
Air quality, 2025
30% good days
32 days unhealthy at least for sensitive groups. EPA daily air quality index for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI area (365 days measured).
FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025) combines expected losses from 18 natural hazards with how vulnerable and resilient the community is. It describes the county, not your street; check flood maps for a specific address at FEMA's Flood Map Service Center.
Parks and sights near Elgin
The best-known parks, museums, zoos and landmarks within about 35 miles. Tap Been or Want to add them to your city passport.
- Wrigley Field 34 miles
- Northwestern University 32 miles
- College of DuPage 18 miles
- Chamberlain University-Illinois 15 miles
- Loyola University Chicago 33 miles
- Northern Illinois University 25 miles
- Waubonsee Community College 18 miles
- Aurora University 20 miles
Places from Wikidata (CC0), linked to each one's official site or Wikipedia article. Check hours and fees before you go.
Airports near Elgin
| Airport | Distance | Passengers boarding in 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| O'Hare International Airport ORD | 21 mi | 38,575,693 |
| Midway International Airport MDW | 33 mi | 10,360,093 |
| Chicago Rockford International Airport RFD | 42 mi | 132,154 |
| Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport MKE | 66 mi | 3,104,054 |
Federal Aviation Administration, calendar year 2024 passenger boardings (enplanements) at commercial service airports. Straight-line distance.
Colleges in and near Elgin
| College | Distance | Undergrads | Net price a year | Graduate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of DuPage | 18 mi | 16,114 | $5,165 | 24% |
| Chamberlain University-Illinois | 15 mi | 14,027 | $38,263 | 35% |
| Northern Illinois University | 25 mi | 11,301 | $14,505 | 48% |
| Waubonsee Community College | 18 mi | 5,721 | $2,551 | 44% |
| Aurora University | 20 mi | 3,974 | $19,385 | 61% |
| Elmhurst University | 21 mi | 3,006 | $23,165 | 64% |
US Department of Education College Scorecard, October 2026 release. Net price is the average yearly cost after grants for students who get federal aid. Graduate: share finishing within 150% of normal time.
Frost dates and fall color in Elgin
Half the years, the last spring night at 32°F comes before April 26, so plant tender crops after that date or wait a week or two to be safer. Fall color depends on the trees, but the US Department of Agriculture says the brightest leaves come with warm, sunny days and cool nights, and that frost ruins vivid color. Here, cool 36°F nights usually start around October 7 and the first frost comes around October 18.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals for Elgin, IL, median (50%) dates. All frost dates for Elgin.
Wildfire smoke in Elgin
From 2021 through 2025, a smoke plume covered Elgin on about 135 days a year, including about 37 days of medium or heavy smoke. Smoke high overhead can turn sunsets red without reaching the ground, so check the air quality reading before you change plans.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, daily satellite plumes over the city center, 2021 to 2025. Smoke days for every city.
Home internet in Elgin
Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024, table B28002, 39,317 households. Compare every city.
Public schools in Elgin
Downtown Elgin is in this district. Neighborhoods farther out may belong to a different one, so check the address with the district before you buy or rent.
| District | Grades | Students | Schools | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School District U-46 | Pre-K to 12 | 34,036 | 55 | 14.4 |
Other districts within 10 miles: Community Unit School District 300 (20,705 students), Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 54 (15,298 students), Township High School District 211 (12,458 students), St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 (11,731 students), Palatine Community Consolidated School District 15 (11,321 students), Huntley Consolidated School District 158 (8,401 students).
National Center for Education Statistics, school district boundaries and characteristics, 2024-25 school year.
Elgin's twin cities
Cities at least 250 miles away with the closest match to Elgin's weather month by month and its costs (price level, home values and rent).
- Sterling Heights, MI84% matchCompare
- Livonia, MI79% matchCompare
- Albany, NY77% matchCompare
- Southfield, MI77% matchCompare
Find a twin that is cheaper, warmer or cooler
Stargazing near Elgin
The nearest certified International Dark Sky Places:
Designations by DarkSky International as recorded in Wikidata (CC0). All dark sky places.
Ski resorts near Elgin
- Wilmot Mountain 32 miles
- Alpine Valley Resort 49 miles
- Little Switzerland 90 miles
- Tyrol Basin 102 miles
Straight-line distance. All ski resorts.
Pros and cons of living in Elgin
Data points come from the official sources on this page. Points marked Local come from people who live here, are read by a person before they appear, and are ranked by readers.
Pros
- Data Homes are affordable for locals: the median home costs 3.0 years of median household income, lower than in three quarters of the cities we cover.
Cons
- Data Air quality is a concern: 32 days in 2025 were unhealthy at least for sensitive groups (EPA).
Elgin report card from locals
0 of 5 reports so far. We show the Elgin report card once 5 residents have rated it, so one opinion never stands in for a whole city. Live here? Add yours.
Rate Elgin (2 minutes)
Lived here once? Map every city you have lived in and see how your homes compare.
Ask a local about Elgin
No questions yet. Thinking about a move? Ask about neighborhoods, schools, winters, traffic or anything else, and people who live in Elgin can answer.
Elgin through locals' eyes
No resident photos yet. Share the view from your street, your favorite park or the city on a good day.
Share a photo
Contributions are read by a person before they appear. We remove ads, links, personal attacks and anything about private people. See the most helpful locals.
Cities near Elgin
| City | Distance | Population | Home value | Price level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schaumburg, IL | 11 mi | 77,249 | $330,400 | 103.6 | Compare |
| Arlington Heights, IL | 17 mi | 76,216 | $414,500 | 103.6 | Compare |
| Aurora, IL | 19 mi | 181,505 | $274,800 | 103.6 | Compare |
| Naperville, IL | 19 mi | 153,114 | $540,200 | 103.6 | Compare |
| Cicero, IL | 31 mi | 81,858 | $249,400 | 103.6 | Compare |
| Evanston, IL | 32 mi | 76,380 | $481,200 | 103.6 | Compare |
Straight-line distance between city centers.
Elgin ranks 92nd of 177 in our best suburbs of Chicago ranking.
Cities with a similar profile
Closest match on climate, price level, size, income and median age, outside the immediate area.
Compare Elgin with another city
Frequently asked questions
Is Elgin a good place to live?
It depends on what you need. The numbers show homes that cost under four years of median income. Compare Elgin side by side with another city to see how it stacks up for you.
What is the population of Elgin?
The Census Bureau estimates Elgin had 115,476 residents on July 1, 2025, compared with 114,819 in April 2020 (+0.6%).
How much do you need to earn to live in Elgin?
Using BEA price levels, a $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $77,700 in the Elgin area. The median household here earns $90,282.
When is the best time to visit Elgin?
By the 1991-2020 climate normals, June to September are the most comfortable months. July averages 84°F and January 30°F for daytime highs.
What county is Elgin in?
Most of Elgin (81% of its land) is in Kane County. Smaller parts lie in Cook County. Source: Census Bureau 2020 geography.
What time zone is Elgin in?
Elgin is on Central Time (UTC-6, or UTC-5 during daylight saving time from March to November).
What is the elevation of Elgin?
About 745 feet above sea level at the city center. Elevation varies across the city.
Does Illinois have a state income tax?
Yes. Illinois has a flat income tax with a top rate of 4.95% for 2026. Some cities add a local income tax, which is not included here.
Sources
Population: Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates (July 1, 2025). Income, housing, education and commuting: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates for the city of Elgin. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area. Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Elgin, IL station. Taxes: Tax Foundation 2026. How we get our numbers.