Downers Grove, IL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Illinois·Downers Grove

DuPage County · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin · population 50,552

Downers Grove, IL
Image: Wikipedia · Downers Grove, Illinois
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
72
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Downers Grove stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 6.6% in the last year. rents up 5.1% in the last year.

Median home $500,013
1-year +6.6%
5-yr CAGR +5.9%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$500k$298k$372k$446k$520k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
52/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
76/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,280/mo$1,661$2,041$2,422202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent130129100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 18.3
Lean buy

At a 18.3 price-to-rent ratio, Downers Grove is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
81 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
69 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
48 · w16%
Rent YoY
79 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
57 · w10%
Long thesis

Downers Grove has held up across the cycle: home values at $500,013 with +5.9% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Downers Grove's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Downers Grove

Downers Grove is a city in DuPage County, Illinois, with an estimated population of 50,552. It anchors the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area. The median home value in Downers Grove is $500,013 as of 2026-04, up 6.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.9% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Downers Grove average $2,280 per month, up 5.1% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 72 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Trend still working: prices up 6.6% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
●Healthy 5-year run: +5.9% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
●Hot rental market: rents up 5.1% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Downers Grove (Wikipedia)

Downers Grove is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1832 by Pierce Downer, whose surname serves as the eponym for the village. Per the 2020 census, the population of the village was 50,248. It is a south-western suburb of Chicago located between I-88 and I-55.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorRobert T. Barnett
Area14.80 sq mi
Elevation709 ft
Founded1832
Density3430.53/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for DuPage County right now.

NWS active alerts (IL)Illinois Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. DuPage County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Downers Grove

1 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Belmont$224,581+11.9%

Cities like Downers Grove

Mount Prospect, IL66 · RisingGlen Ellyn, IL72 · RisingSkokie, IL69 · RisingLibertyville, IL69 · Rising

Run the numbers for Downers Grove

ToolCan I afford Downers Grove?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Downers Grove rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Downers Grove to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolDowners Grove cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
33° / 18°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
189
~52% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
22″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Downers Grove listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$78,400
Illinois state median
Top industries (state-level)
FinanceManufacturingHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Downers Grove

Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.

See all Illinois cities →    Browse best-of lists →