LivabilityCalc
Find Your City
City Housing Verdict

Wilmette, IL

High Pressure

Living in Wilmette, IL costs about 79% more than the national average (Cost Index: 179). Housing is the main driver — the typical home value of $930,492 is well above the $303,400 US median. The local median household income is $192,300, which helps frame the place-side housing burden.

Wilmette already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 12% rent burden, 4.8x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 307. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Stretch

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Wilmette.

Monthly Housing
$1,968/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
12%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$13,557/mo
After housing and debt · $4,519/person
Rent vs Buy
Rent first
Main pressure: everyday costs
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ACSBEA proxy: msaHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 15%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
179
Very Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$930,492
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $802,200
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$1,968/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$192,300
National: $78,538
Population
27,550
Purchasing Power
137
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
307 / 100
~3.1x more expensive
Rent Index
146 / 100
46% above average
Goods & Groceries
107 / 100
7% pricier than average
Utilities
84 / 100
16% lower utility bills
Healthcare & Services
100 / 100
In line with national average
Overall Index
179
Very Expensive · 79% above average

Wilmette Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $930,492 and Illinois's property tax rate of 2.07%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$192,300
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
12%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
4.8x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Wilmette looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Wilmette, IL

Est. Annual Property Tax
$19,261
Monthly Impact
$1,605
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
2.07%
National avg: ~1.00%

Illinois Place Tax Context

Tax TypeIllinoisNational Avg
Property Tax Rate2.07%1.00%
Top Income Tax Rate4.95%~5.0%
State Sales Tax8.82%~5.0%

Compare Wilmette to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Wilmette, IL
179
146
Loading cities...
---
---

Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Wilmette, IL: 307
Rent Prices
146

FAQ: Living in Wilmette

Is Wilmette, IL an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Wilmette is about 79% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 179. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $930,492, and monthly rents average roughly $1,968. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run higher than average as well.

How does Wilmette fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,968, while local median household income is $192,300. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 12% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Wilmette, IL?+

Illinois has a progressive state income tax with a top rate of 4.95%. The effective property tax rate is 2.07%. On a home worth $930,492, that translates to roughly $19,261 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 8.82% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Wilmette, IL?+

The typical monthly rent in Wilmette is around $1,968. That's about 46% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $930,492, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Wilmette, IL?+

The median home in Wilmette is valued at $930,492. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $4,705/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 88% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Wilmette?+

Grocery prices in Wilmette are noticeably pricier compared to the rest of the US (index: 107, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 84). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Wilmette, IL like to live in?+

Wilmette is a small town with a population of about 27,550. The median age of residents is 45.7, skewing somewhat older — common in established suburban communities. The local poverty rate is 3.37%, well below the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in Illinois

If Wilmette feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in Illinois

Use these city pages when you want to compare Wilmette against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly