City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Darien, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Darien - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

21,855
Residents
$109,354
Median income
$386,400
Median home
$1,781
Median rent (state)

Darien - the verdict

Darien ranks in the 83rd percentile for household income and the 66th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

83rd
percentile, household income
76th
percentile, home value
72nd
percentile, median rent
66th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Darien, IL

Illinois's Darien is a small city, with 21,855 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Darien brings in $109,354 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.9%. Typical homes in Darien are valued around $386,400, and the median resident age is 44.8 years. About 51.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 63.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 68 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 1600% from five years earlier. Darien reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 958.4 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Illinois at 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,781 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Illinois run around $240, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 23.9 minutes, with 70.4% driving alone and 19.0% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 97.6 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

21,855 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$109,354 /yr

Poverty 2.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Darien compare to other US cities?

Here's how Darien stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 83% higher than other cities
Home value 76% pricier than other cities
Median rent 72% pricier than other cities
Safety 66% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Illinois alone, Darien ranks #232 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Darien against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Darien's strongest outlier among Illinois cities

Among the 1,315 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Darien ranks #70 - the 95th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Darien only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#153 of 1,311
88th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#17 of 1,336
77th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#70 of 1,315
95th percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#1,029 of 1,335
22nd percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#102 of 1,336
92nd percentile in Illinois

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Illinois only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

83rdIncome percentile
66thSafety percentile

83rd percentile nationally for median household income · 66th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Darien's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Darien's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 58 Avg. percentile National median
Darien's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Darien's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$386,400 24th percentile more affordable than 24% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Darien $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Darien, IL Darien, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Darien, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Darien, IL median $109,354/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Darien, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Darien, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 51.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
21,855
Median Income
$109,354
Median Home Value
$386,400
Median Age
44.8
Poverty Rate
2.9%
Labor force participation
63.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
51.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
958.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
41.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
916.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
21,400 residents21,600 residents21,800 residents22,000 residents22,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 21,999 residents 22,032 residents ▲ +0.2%
Darien's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
68
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
68
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 0
2021 0
2022 72
2023 4
2024 68

Permit volume increased 1600% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.9 minutes
Drive Alone
70.4%
Carpool
6.1%
Public Transit
2.6%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
19.0%
Other
1.2%

Based on 11,441 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Darien sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,781/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Carbondale
21,813 people
Yorkville
22,350 people
Bloomingdale
22,388 people
Geneva
21,299 people
Villa Park
22,456 people
East Peoria
22,485 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Darien's 21,855 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Kailua CDP (Hawaii County), HI
21,851 people
Lino Lakes, MN
21,847 people
Shelby, NC
21,868 people
Sedalia, MO
21,869 people
Parsippany, NJ
21,869 people
Klamath Falls, OR
21,879 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Darien's $109,354 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

North Beach Haven, NJ
$109,353 median income
Finderne, NJ
$109,348 median income
Pebble Creek, FL
$109,375 median income
Lake Bosworth, WA
$109,375 median income
Overland, NE
$109,327 median income
Mastic Beach, NY
$109,381 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Darien, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Darien, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.4% 11.2% 8.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.6% White 75.4% Black or African American 3.0% Asian 11.2% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.5% Two or more races 8.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Darien compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Darien (this city) 21,855 $109,354
Carbondale 21,813 $29,670
Yorkville 22,350 $108,775
Bloomingdale 22,388 $98,891
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Darien, IL?

What is the population of Darien, IL? +

The population of Darien, IL stands at 21,855 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Darien, IL? +

Median annual household income in Darien runs $109,354, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Darien? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Darien; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

Is Darien, IL safe? +

Darien has a total crime rate of 958.4 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Darien, IL? +

Darien's median home value sits at $386,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.