Best Life Index › States › Illinois › Cities › Elgin

Illinois city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Elgin?

What it costs to live in Elgin, and how it compares with other Illinois cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

47

95th best value in Illinois

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Illinois cities.

Overall livability

48

93rd overall in Illinois

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Elgin is home to about 114,156 people. A typical home runs $206,800 and a household earns around $79,800, a price-to-income ratio of 2.6. Among Illinois's largest cities, it ranks 95th for value and 93rd overall.

Elgin at a glance

Median home price

$206,800

69th in IL of 163

Median rent

$1,116/mo

Median household income

$79,800

Home price to income

2.6x

Unemployment

6.1%

108th in IL of 163

School rating

7/10

74th in IL of 163

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in IL of 163

Walk score

13/100

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‹ See all top Illinois cities ranked  ยท  Illinois state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Illinois only. Updated 2026.