High Housing Costs In Area Towns

HINSDALE, IL — Compared to other area towns, housing is most expensive in Hinsdale. According to the U.S. Census, the median value of an owner-occupied housing unit was $878,700 in Hinsdale in 2018. Burr Ridge is high up on the list at $670,600. Elmhurst, La Grange and Western Springs are all above $400,000, while Darien is at $321,500, which is still above the DuPage County median.

The median housing value in DuPage County is $299,000, well above Illinois' $187,200 and the United States' $204,900. The suburbs are far higher than much of the rest of Illinois. The median in Rockford, which has lost much of its industrial base over the last few decades, is $89,700. The number in Peoria is somewhat higher at $126,400.

A La Grange resident recently wrote on the Patch website about the high costs in the area.

"You'd be hard-pressed to be low-income and live in these districts," he said. "That's not a judgment — it's just a fact. My wife and I worked hard and saved our money to be able to move to a town with decent schools — and pay ridiculous taxes (for now) to pay for those good schools."

According to the U.S. Census, here are the 2018 median values of owner-occupied housing units in area towns: