Livability Awards
Elgin, Illinois is a moderately-sized city with a population of 111,919 people. More than a quarter of the residents of Elgin identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, and 39% of the population speak Spanish as their primary or secondary language. 74% of the people in Elgin (over the age of 15) are married and 47% have kids under the age of eighteen. Knowing that, it’s safe to say that this area could be a great place for other families to lay down roots.
Are you trying to ascertain if living in Elgin is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a fulfilling experience before moving to any new city in Illinois, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. To help you find the best places to live in and around Elgin, AreaVibes has created a livability score using key metrics like amenities, cost of living, weather, employment and more.
With a livability score of 71 out of 100, Elgin is ranked #9,536 in the United States and #240 in Illinois. If we explore each of the categories individually, we see that Elgin ranks well for amenities (A+), crime (A-) and housing (B+). Elgin does not score well for the following: cost of living (D), weather (D-), education (F) and employment (D). It might be a good idea to take a closer look at each category to find out why.
Conveniently located amenities and interesting attractions are a great way to continuously enjoy Elgin on a regular basis. Knowing that there are an abundance of amenities and things to do can ensure that you always have access to nearby grocery stores, restaurants and coffee shops.
Low violent crime (murder, rape, robbery, assault) is a must for most people when searching for a new area to live. At 199 crimes per 100,000 residents, Elgin has a violent crime rate that is far below the national average.
Finding affordable real estate and apartments for rent in Elgin 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.
Certain items on your wish list like shopping, restaurants, nightlife and proximity to public transportation are all important factors to search for. Having said that, perhaps the most important metric to consider when contemplating a move to Elgin is real estate affordability. Median real estate prices in Elgin come in at $166,500, which is 4.7% lower than the Illinois average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Elgin, the home price to income ratio is 2.8, which is 6.7% lower than the Illinois average. Year over year appreciation rates for homes in the Elgin area were 6.6% and the 5 year appreciation rates came in at 8.5%. Why is this important? Knowing the appreciation rates for any area is a quick and easy way to determine if you will see a solid return on your investment.
| Statistic | Elgin | Illinois | National |
| Average one way commute | 29min | 29min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 78.5% | 73.4% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 13.0% | 8.3% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 2.6% | 9.2% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.1% | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 1.3% | 3.1% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 3.1% | 4.4% | 4.6% |
| Walk | Bike | Compact | Car | S.U.V. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | |||||
| Duration | |||||
| Cost/Month |
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