City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Winnetka, IL

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

12,508
Residents
$250,001
Median income
$1,206,300
Median home
$1,781
Median rent (state)

Winnetka - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Winnetka places in the 99th percentile for household income and the 75th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

99th
percentile, household income
98th
percentile, home value
72nd
percentile, median rent
75th
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: Winnetka, IL

Illinois's Winnetka is a small town, with 12,508 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Winnetka households earn a median of $250,001 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.0%. Typical homes in Winnetka are valued around $1,206,300, and the median resident age is 42.4 years. 87.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 19 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 58% from five years earlier. Winnetka reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 740.1 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: the state registers 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. 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. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 96.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

12,508 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$250,001 /yr

Poverty 1.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Winnetka compare to other US cities?

Where Winnetka sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 99% higher than other cities
Home value 98% pricier than other cities
Median rent 72% pricier than other cities
Safety 75% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Illinois and the picture shifts: Winnetka ranks #177 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Winnetka 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 Winnetka's strongest outlier among Illinois cities

Among the 1,315 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Winnetka ranks #3 - the 100th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Winnetka only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1 of 1,311
100th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#17 of 1,336
77th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#3 of 1,315
100th percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#1,208 of 1,335
9th percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#3 of 1,336
100th 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.

99thIncome percentile
75thSafety percentile

99th percentile nationally for median household income · 75th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Winnetka's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Winnetka'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 63 Avg. percentile National median
Winnetka'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 Winnetka's home value compares nationally

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

$1,206,300 2nd percentile more affordable than 2% 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%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Winnetka $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 - Winnetka, IL Winnetka, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Winnetka, 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 Winnetka, IL median $250,001/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%
Winnetka, 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 Winnetka, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 87.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.2%

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

Population
12,508
Median Income
$250,001
Median Home Value
$1,206,300
Median Age
42.4
Poverty Rate
1.0%
Labor force participation
57.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
87.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
740.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
82.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
657.9
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
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,300 residents12,400 residents12,500 residents12,600 residents12,700 residents12,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 12,704 residents 12,518 residents ▼ -1.5%
Winnetka's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
19
housing units authorized
Single-Family
19
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 12
2020 19
2021 23
2022 20
2023 15
2024 19

Permit volume increased 58% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
44.5%
Carpool
3.1%
Public Transit
18.5%
Walk
2.0%
Work from Home
27.5%
Other
4.4%

Based on 4,966 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 Winnetka 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
96.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Rantoul
12,515 people
Northlake
12,547 people
Richton Park
12,576 people
Minooka
12,632 people
Justice
12,372 people
Kewanee
12,280 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Winnetka's 12,508 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Ridge, NY
12,506 people
Baraboo, WI
12,506 people
North St. Paul, MN
12,511 people
Lake Elmo, MN
12,504 people
Freehold, NJ
12,504 people
Haddonfield, NJ
12,502 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Winnetka's $250,001 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Alamo, CA
$250,001 median income
Atherton, CA
$250,001 median income
Bell Canyon, CA
$250,001 median income
Belvedere, CA
$250,001 median income
Camino Tassajara, CA
$250,001 median income
Castle Hill, CA
$250,001 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Winnetka, 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 Winnetka, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.0% White 90.4% Black or African American 0.3% Asian 2.4% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.5% Two or more races 5.2% 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 Winnetka 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
Winnetka (this city) 12,508 $250,001
Rantoul 12,515 $49,821
Northlake 12,547 $77,564
Richton Park 12,576 $71,724
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Winnetka, IL?

What is the population of Winnetka, IL? +

The population of Winnetka, IL stands at 12,508 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Winnetka is $250,001 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Winnetka? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Winnetka; 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 Winnetka, IL safe? +

Winnetka has a total crime rate of 740.1 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 Winnetka, IL? +

Homes in Winnetka carry a median value of $1,206,300, 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

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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.