City Profile

Cicero, Illinois

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Overall Score

Cicero, Illinois, is a densely populated and historically rich working-class municipality located just west of Chicago. Established in the mid-19th century and incorporated in 1867, it has long served as a major industrial hub and a prominent port of entry for successive waves of immigrants. Today, Cicero is celebrated for its vibrant Hispanic heritage, closely-knit neighborhoods, and enduring blue-collar character.

Positioned immediately adjacent to Chicago's West Side, the town offers residents an urban-suburban mix with convenient access to the broader metropolitan area. Its grid layout features classic Chicago-style bungalows, multi-family brick flats, and bustling commercial corridors like 22nd Street ( Cermak Road). For families and workers seeking proximity to downtown Chicago without the accompanying Loop price tag, Cicero remains a prominent and dynamic destination.

About Illinois

Illinois, known as the "Prairie State," offers a diverse character ranging from the bustling metropolis of Chicago to expansive farmlands. Its economy is among the largest and most diversified in the U.S., with major industries including advanced manufacturing, agriculture and food processing, life sciences, technology, and transportation and logistics. While the cost of living statewide is generally considered moderate, housing costs in Chicago can be higher than the national average. Illinois experiences all four seasons, with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters, and is susceptible to severe storms and tornadoes, particularly in spring. Residents enjoy a lifestyle that balances world-class cultural amenities and career opportunities with challenges such as high taxes and urban congestion.

83,890

Population

$54K

Avg Salary

Cost Index

55.7

Quality Score

How this 56/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 58 / 100	58.0	30%	17.4
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 92.0	53.8	25%	13.4
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $58,500 Income needed to live here: $50,000 Unemployment rate: 5.2%	53.1	20%	10.6
Growth	Population growth rate: no usable reading Job growth rate: 1.5%	50.0	15%	7.5
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 67 / 100	67.0	10%	6.7
Overall score				55.7

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 1 (fast) (q=52, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 16 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Cicero generally sits slightly below the national average, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious families and working professionals. Housing costs, while rising in tandem with the greater Cook County market, remain more accessible than those found in neighboring Chicago proper or many northern suburbs. Everyday goods, groceries, and local services are competitively priced, reflecting the diverse retail landscape along its main commercial arteries.

Utility costs and property taxes, however, can introduce financial pressures typical of the broader collar-county and Cook County regions. State and local sales taxes also align with Illinois's higher-tier rates, though sensible savings on housing help offset these expenses for many residents. Overall, the local economic ecosystem provides a practical entry point for first-time homebuyers and renters navigating the Chicago metropolitan housing market.

Average Rent

$1,450/mo

Groceries

$420/mo

Transport

$110/mo

Utilities

$175/mo

Healthcare

$230/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$40.00

Cinema ticket

$12.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$18.00

Monthly groceries

$380.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$140.00

Income

Salary Insights

Cicero's economy is deeply rooted in manufacturing, logistics, wholesale trade, and retail services. Its strategic location near major freight rail lines, Interstate 55, and Chicago Midway International Airport makes it a premier center for warehousing, distribution, and light industry. Major employers span logistics operators, food processing plants, and local municipal services, providing a steady stream of blue-collar and administrative employment.

While remote work has altered commuting patterns for office workers throughout Cook County, Cicero maintains a strong physical employment base within its industrial parks and commercial strips. The town's economic growth is closely tied to regional supply chains and small business entrepreneurship, particularly family-owned retail shops and restaurants serving the local community. Job seekers find robust opportunities in trade, transportation, and healthcare support roles.

The average salary in Cicero is $54,000 per year. You would need approximately $50,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Retail Trade +1.20% Manufacturing +1.10% Construction +1.90% Healthcare and Social Assistance +2.80% Transportation and Warehousing +2.40%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

51°F

Avg Temp

☀️

83°F

Summer High

❄️

17°F

Winter Low

🌧️

36.00"

Annual Rain

💧

68.00%

Humidity

🌤️

252

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Transportation is one of Cicero's strong suits, anchored by exceptional connectivity to the Chicago transit network. The CTA Pink Line provides direct rapid transit service to downtown Chicago from multiple stations within or immediately adjacent to the town. Numerous Pace and CTA bus routes crisscross the municipality, offering robust coverage for commuters without personal vehicles.

For drivers, proximity to Interstate 55 (Stevenson Expressway) and major arterial roads facilitates travel throughout Chicagoland, though rush hour congestion is common. The town also features high walkability scores in its commercial districts, allowing residents to complete daily errands on foot.

32 min

Avg Commute

68.00/10

Transit Score

74.00/10

Walkability

Medium

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

Median home prices remain significantly more affordable than neighboring Chicago and northern Cook County suburbs.

Exceptional public transit access via the CTA Pink Line and multiple Pace bus routes providing direct rides to downtown Chicago.

Vibrant cultural community featuring authentic dining, local markets, and traditional neighborhood festivals.

Strategic geographic location near major logistics hubs, I-55, and Midway Airport supporting strong employment access.

Active community policing and municipal programs dedicated to neighborhood improvement and youth engagement.

Drawbacks

Cook County property taxes and state tax rates create a notable financial burden for homeowners and businesses.

Crime rates in certain sectors remain higher than the national suburban average, requiring standard urban safety vigilance.

Limited green space and park acreage per capita compared to outer ring suburbs.

Aged housing stock in many multi-family buildings can necessitate frequent maintenance and renovation costs.

Traffic congestion along major commercial corridors like Cermak Road during peak commuting hours.

Head to Head

Compare Cicero

Cicero VS Grants Pass Cicero VS Cincinnati Cicero VS Bloomington Cicero VS Binghamton

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Community Q&A

Questions about Cicero

What people ask about living in and moving to Cicero, Illinois.

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Gathering the most common questions about Cicero…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.

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