Cost of living in the Chicago Metro Area
13 counties across IL and IN. Population: 9,359,555.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Chicago Metro Area
Average rent across the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Chicago Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 13 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Chicago Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Chicago Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 13 counties in the Chicago Metro Area
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area includes 13 counties across IL and IN. Sorted by population.
- Chicago IL$3,707/moPop5,185,812 Rent$1,560/mo Income$81,797/yrChicago IL 5,185,812 $1,560/mo $81,797/yr $3,707/mo
- Naperville IL$3,855/moPop927,263 Rent$1,560/mo Income$110,502/yrNaperville IL 927,263 $1,560/mo $110,502/yr $3,855/mo
- Waukegan IL$3,729/moPop711,885 Rent$1,560/mo Income$108,917/yrWaukegan IL 711,885 $1,560/mo $108,917/yr $3,729/mo
- Will County IL$3,810/moPop698,450 Rent$1,560/mo Income$107,799/yrWill County IL 698,450 $1,560/mo $107,799/yr $3,810/mo
- Elgin IL$3,729/moPop516,097 Rent$1,560/mo Income$100,678/yrElgin IL 516,097 $1,560/mo $100,678/yr $3,729/mo
- Lake County IN$2,978/moPop498,990 Rent$985/mo Income$68,985/yrLake County IN 498,990 $985/mo $68,985/yr $2,978/mo
- McHenry County IL$3,802/moPop311,366 Rent$1,560/mo Income$102,836/yrMcHenry County IL 311,366 $1,560/mo $102,836/yr $3,802/mo
- Porter County IN$3,080/moPop174,150 Rent$985/mo Income$85,828/yrPorter County IN 174,150 $985/mo $85,828/yr $3,080/mo
- Kendall County IL$3,732/moPop135,053 Rent$1,438/mo Income$110,474/yrKendall County IL 135,053 $1,438/mo $110,474/yr $3,732/mo
- DeKalb County IL$2,981/moPop100,512 Rent$1,058/mo Income$69,022/yrDeKalb County IL 100,512 $1,058/mo $69,022/yr $2,981/mo
- Grundy County IL$3,365/moPop52,920 Rent$1,151/mo Income$93,060/yrGrundy County IL 52,920 $1,151/mo $93,060/yr $3,365/mo
- Jasper County IN$2,953/moPop33,198 Rent$883/mo Income$79,634/yrJasper County IN 33,198 $883/mo $79,634/yr $2,953/mo
- Newton County IN$2,974/moPop13,859 Rent$985/mo Income$68,596/yrNewton County IN 13,859 $985/mo $68,596/yr $2,974/mo
Compare counties in the Chicago Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Chicago Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Chicago Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area is approximately $3,672 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 13 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Chicago Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area is $1,506 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Chicago Metro Area?
Jasper County, IN is the most affordable county in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area at approximately $2,953 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Chicago Metro Area?
DuPage County, IL is the most expensive county in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area at approximately $3,855 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Chicago Metro Area?
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area covers 13 counties across IL and IN. The five largest by population are Chicago, Naperville, Waukegan, Will County, Elgin.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.