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Evanston, IL

Census place 1724582 · pop 76,340

D−43/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in IL
📍 Illinois ranks #39 of 50 states →
🏆 Education69.5% · top 5%
🚽 Inequality0.54 · bottom 3%
💡 Did you know?

Home of Northwestern University and birthplace of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

Source ↗
Taxes
1.84% property · US 0.99%8.96% sales · US 7.00%4.95% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

Google Maps ↗Zillow ↗Wikipedia ↗

The breakdown — worst first

Income inequality0.543

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.54 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1008

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden1.84%14

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.84% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Air quality (AQI)County-level54 AQI14

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

54 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property crime rate2757/100k14

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

2757 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Rent$2,570/mo15

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,570/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level11 days19

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

11 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.5%21

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$481,20021

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$481,200 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Commute time28 min27

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

28 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Homeownership56.2%28

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

56.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Population growth (5yr)+2.4%46

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

+2.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Poverty rate11.8%49

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

11.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Violent crime rate144/100k61

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

144 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Broadband access93.8%68

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

93.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Median household income$96,43472

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$96,434 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Uninsured adults6.8%78

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

6.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poor mental health14.2%86

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

14.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Adult obesity26.3%89

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

26.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Physical inactivity16.9%91

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

16.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Adult smoking7.7%94

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

7.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Bachelor's degree or higher69.5%95

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

69.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Frequently asked

Is Evanston, IL a good place to live?
By the numbers, Evanston scores 43/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is income inequality. Illinois overall ranks #39 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Evanston, IL?
Evanston reports 144 violent crimes per 100k and 2757 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Evanston, IL expensive to live in?
Evanston has a median home value of $481,200 and typical rent around $2,570/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Evanston, IL?
Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.54) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Evanston, IL best at?
Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (69.5%) — 95/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of Northwestern University and birthplace of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.