Elgin, IL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Illinois·Elgin

Kane County · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin · population 114,701

Elgin, IL
Image: Wikipedia · Elgin, Illinois
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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68
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Elgin stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $333,920
1-year +3.3%
5-yr CAGR +6.7%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.0%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$334k$163k$225k$286k$347k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
52/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
82/100
Excellent for remote work
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
$1,822/mo$1,212$1,594$1,976202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent138141100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 15.3
Lean buy

At a 15.3 price-to-rent ratio, Elgin 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
66 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
73 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
45 · w16%
Rent YoY
61 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
72 · w10%
Long thesis

Elgin has held up across the cycle: home values at $333,920 with +6.7% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Elgin'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 Elgin

Elgin is a city in Kane County, Illinois, with an estimated population of 114,701. It anchors the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area. The median home value in Elgin is $333,920 as of 2026-04, up 3.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.7% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Elgin average $1,822 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.4%). The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +6.7% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +3.3% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

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

About Elgin (Wikipedia)

Elgin is a city in Cook and Kane counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located 35 mi (56 km) northwest of Chicago along the Fox River. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 114,797, making it the sixth-most populous city in the state.

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

City facts

MayorDave Kaptain
Area38.60 sq mi
Elevation810 ft
Founded1835
NicknameThe City in the Suburbs
MottoThe Jewel of the Midwest
Density3018.83/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 Kane County right now.

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

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

Neighborhoods of Elgin

16 tracked · ranked by median home value
1North Country Knolls$403,192+4.3%
2Valley Creek$360,328+1.8%
3Eagle Heights$348,374+3.4%
4Century Oaks$346,825+5.2%
5Cobblers Crossing$322,538+3.9%
6College Green$297,078+2.6%
7Northeastern Elgin$295,974+4.6%
8Lords Park$295,435+1.1%
9Grant Park$287,644+3.0%
10Downtown Elgin$287,561+10.8%
11Gifford Park$281,371+7.3%
12College Park$275,730+4.6%
13Southwest Elgin$275,486+3.5%
14Summit Park$274,408+5.6%
15Southeast Elgin$270,294-0.9%
16Near West Elgin$269,339+3.3%

Cities like Elgin

Aurora, IL69 · RisingBolingbrook, IL69 · RisingBloomington, IL69 · RisingCarpentersville, IL67 · Rising

Run the numbers for Elgin

ToolCan I afford Elgin?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Elgin rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Elgin to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolElgin 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 Elgin 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.

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