Living in Elgin, IL
Suburb in Illinois
Elgin is a suburb in Illinois, home to about 114,000 people, with 3.9 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Elgin a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 18 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Family-friendly: playgrounds, family attractions and plenty of households with kids
- Safe: violent crime is 0.5× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Mild summers: highs around 82°F
👎 Cons
- Higher taxes: about $2,002 state income tax per resident, 2.42% property tax
- Fewer graduates: 26% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Cloudier than most places
- Few dog parks: 5 within 9 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Elgin ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Elgin: common questions
What is the cost of living in Elgin?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $336k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,290 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 104, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Elgin?
Illinois collects about $2,002 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.42% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Elgin safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.5× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Elgin?
Elgin has cold winters: winter days average around 33°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 32″ of snow a year.
Does Elgin get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, cold waves and tornadoes: 4 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.22 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Elgin?
The nearest major airport is ORD, about 22 mi away.
How Elgin scores
Each bar compares Elgin with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Elgin right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.