Darien 83 Exceptional
Darien Livability #31 ranked city in Illinois#686 ranked city in the USARanks better than 97% of areas

Pros and Cons of Living in Darien

PROS
  • Commute

    A high commute score suggests convenient, easy access to public transportation, with shorter-than-average work commute times to work.

  • Crime

    The crime rate is far lower than the national average per 100,000 residents. As such, it should be considered a very safe place to live when compared to other areas.

  • Employment

    This area excels in the employment category with a score well above average, primarily due to the higher median home income, per capita income and low unemployment rates.

  • Housing

    High scores in the housing category are attributed to this area, possibly pointing to a favorable home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.

  • Schools

    The schools category boasts a high score thanks to factors like excellent test scores, impressive graduation rates and the convenient placement of elementary and high schools in this area.

CONS
  • Cost Of Living

    The cost of living in this area is notably high, making it a more expensive place to live. You'll find higher expenses for everyday goods and services, housing and groceries.

New Real Estate Listings in Darien Area
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What's it like Living in Darien?

Darien is a medium-sized city located in the state of Illinois. The city has a population of 21,843 inhabitants. Darien has a population density of 3,540 people per square mile. This would be considered well above the national population density level. If we look at the most recent Census, Darien is known to have a predominantly White population. The next two most common races are Asian and Black. When traveling to work, spending unnecessary time in your vehicle is not ideal and downright frustrating. Across all of America, the average one way commute time is 26 minutes, unfortunately, living in Darien offers up a higher than average one way commute time of 30 minutes.

Are you trying to ascertain if living in Darien is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a positive experience before relocating to any new city in Illinois, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. Several key factors deserve attention. For one, safety is paramount, ensuring that your new area is low in crime is key. Proximity to workplaces or schools minimizes commute times and fosters convenience. Access to essential amenities like parks, grocery stores, food, fitness, shops and healthcare facilities enhances daily life. Efficient public transportation options provide mobility and connectivity. The sense of community creates a welcoming and supportive environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere, encompassing the vibe, aesthetics, and lifestyle offerings, contributes to a fulfilling living experience. Considering these elements helps identify the ideal neighborhood for your needs and preferences. With useful information like commute, health & safety, employment and other key data points, finding the best places to live in Darien and in the areas around Darien is a much easier task.

Darien, IL receives 84/100 for its livability score; this results in a ranking of #16 in Illinois and #448 in the USA. This is a great score, as Darien ranks well in multiple categories! Another exciting tidbit, is that Darien ranks better than 90% of all US cities! If we explore each of the categories individually, we see that Darien ranks well for crime (A+), education (B) and housing (A+). The bad news for Darien, there are some categories for which it does not score well, this includes: cost of living (F).

Finding affordable real estate and housing in Darien can be tricky. Having said that, this area might be the place to get the best of both worlds. Based on factors like home/rental affordability and appreciation rates, this area has received an above average score in the housing category. A healthy real estate market can lead to wealth appreciation for property owners, as rising property values can contribute to homeowners' equity, financial stability and the ability to build long-term wealth.

Assuming that Darien meets all of your requirements like low crime rates, good schools and great local amenities, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Darien. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Darien are simply unattainable. Median real estate prices in Darien come in at $336,800, which is 92.7% higher than the Illinois average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Darien, the home price to income ratio is 3.3, which is 10% higher than the Illinois average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Darien

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How Do You Rate The Livability In Darien?

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Compare Darien, IL Livability

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      Darien transportation information

      Statistic Darien Illinois National
      Average one way commute30min29min26min
      Workers who drive to work76.2%73.4%76.4%
      Workers who carpool4.7%8.3%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit5.4%9.2%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.3%0.6%0.6%
      Workers who walk0.3%3.1%2.8%
      Working from home12.5%4.4%4.6%
      Source: The Darien, IL data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).