Evanston, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Evanston, IL Summary

Cost of living in Evanston research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Evanston is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Evanston is 128, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Evanston is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Evanston ranks as the #307 cheapest in Illinois out of 338.

  • Evanston ranks as the #5,183 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Evanston is $410,600.

  • The median income in Evanston is $87,345.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
128
Evanston's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Evanston, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Evanston has an overall cost of living index of 128, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Evanston has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Illinois's index of 92.

The standard of living in Evanston ranks as #307 most affordable out of the 338 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Evanston ranks as the #31 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Evanston, check out:

307 out of 338
In Illinois
5,183 out of 6,412
In America

Evanston Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Evanston. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Evanston is 114.

  • The Groceries index in Evanston is 108.

  • The Health index in Evanston is 98.

  • The Housing index in Evanston is 175.

  • The Transportation index in Evanston is 113.

  • The Utilities index in Evanston is 93.

Living Expense Evanston Illinois National Average
Overall 128 92 100
Services 114 95 100
Groceries 108 98 100
Health 98 96 100
Housing 175 81 100
Transportation 113 105 100
Utilities 93 90 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Evanston Cost of Living Vs. IL

Evanston, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Evanston is $410,600.

  • The Median Rent in Evanston is $1,526.

  • The Median Income in Evanston is $87,345.

  • The Home Value To Income in Evanston is 4.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Evanston is 0.21x.

Statistic Evanston Illinois United States
Median Home Value $410,600 $212,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,526 $1,097 $1,163
Median Income $87,345 $72,563 $69,021
Home Value To Income 4.7x 2.9x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Evanston, IL
$410,600
Median Home Value
$1,526
Median Rent
$87,345
Median Income

Evanston, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Evanston Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Evanston Illinois
Shampoo $1.06 $1.06
Movie $14.85 $10.68
Bowling $15.76 $14.67
Haircut $27.76 $18.62
Beauty Salon $65.57 $39.05

Detailed Evanston Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Evanston Illinois
Ground Beef $4.87 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.99 $1.39
Milk $2.42 $2.05
Potatoes $3.23 $3.29
Pizza $12.0 $10.62
Beer $8.61 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.46 $2.34

Detailed Evanston Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Evanston Illinois
Optometrist $96.76 $108.57
Doctor $104.96 $116.17
Dentist $101.82 $99.13

Detailed Evanston Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Evanston Illinois
Gasoline $2.51 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.85 $50.07

Detailed Evanston Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Evanston Illinois
All Electricity $131.89 $167.67
Phone $203.16 $175.64

Evanston SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
9.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
10
Education
9
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Evanston

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Evanston. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Arlington Heights, IL has a cost of living index of 125, 1.0x Evanston.

  • Skokie, IL has a cost of living index of 120, 0.9x Evanston.

  • Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 147, 1.1x Evanston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Evanston
Arlington Heights, IL 77,283 125 1.0x
Skokie, IL 67,444 120 0.9x
Glenview, IL 48,150 147 1.1x
Elmhurst, IL 45,661 131 1.0x
Buffalo Grove, IL 43,062 121 0.9x
Park Ridge, IL 39,562 131 1.0x
Northbrook, IL 35,108 156 1.2x
Niles, IL 30,971 117 0.9x
Highland Park, IL 30,245 152 1.2x
Wilmette, IL 27,895 166 1.3x

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