Cicero vs Evanston
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $249,400 in Cicero and $481,200 in Evanston.
- Households earn more in Evanston ($96,434 vs $70,842 median).
Side by side
| Cicero, IL | Evanston, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 81,858 | 76,380 |
| Growth since 2020 | -4% | -2.2% |
| People per square mile | 13,957 | 9,819 |
| Median age | 34.4 | 38.4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11% | 70% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $70,842 | $96,434 |
| Median home value | $249,400 | $481,200 |
| Home value to income | 3.5× | 5.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,154 | $1,762 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.6 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 112.0 | 112.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,700 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 55% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.98% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 29.3 | 27.5 |
| Work from home | 6% | 29% |
| Take public transit | 7% | 12% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5% | 6.2% |
| Poverty rate | 14.6% | 11.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 33° / 19° | 32° / 19° |
| July high / low | 85° / 68° | 85° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 34 in | 38 in |
| Snowfall per year | 39 in | 38 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 20 | 17 |
| Nights below freezing | 106 | 121 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 30% | 30% |
| Home prices, past year | +6.2% | +6.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +45.5% | +45.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Cicero: May to October. Evanston: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Cicero weather by month and Evanston weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $77,700 in Cicero and $77,700 in Evanston. Moving from Cicero to Evanston, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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