A town of about 12,203 people in Kendall County, part of the Chicago area. Resident comments and photos are about Plano; job numbers cover the wider area.
What kind of place it is
Big-city feel, Outdoorsy, Historic
Scored the same way as the quiz, against 382 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when Plano scores 70 or higher out of 100.
Big-city feel
99 / 100
Big-city feel: 9.5 million people in the metro, 603 buildings 20+ stories, 5,908 bus and train stops
"lived in Chicago for 8 years, childless. Then moved to Atlanta for work and have recently moved back" A resident, Reddit
Outdoorsy
89 / 100
Outdoorsy: more trails, campgrounds and paddling spots than most
Historic
74 / 100
200 places on the National Register of Historic Places nearby
"I've always felt my direct, to the point communication style fits in there" A resident, Reddit
Less so: growing, artsy, cozy.
Want to know how Plano fits you? The 3-minute quiz checks it against what you want.
Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.
Of about 1,025 rented homes in Plano, 87% rent for under $2,000 a month and 100% for under $3,000.
Under $1,000: 20%
$1,000 to $1,499: 22%
$1,500 to $1,999: 45%
$2,000 to $2,499: 6%
$2,500 to $2,999: 7%
$3,000 or more: 0%
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
What moving costs
Hiring movers
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
Moving in as a renter
The middle rented home in Plano rents for $1,500 to $1,999 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $3,000 to $3,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $4,500 to $5,997 where landlords also ask for last month.
Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,500 to $1,999, that's a yearly income of about $54,000 to $71,964.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
Moving to Illinois: before and after
Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Illinois DMV.
171 students · 9 students per teacher · 1 school · grades 9 to 12
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.
Childcare and colleges
Daycare and preschool
Illinois keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.
Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
Age
Daycare center
Home daycare
Infant (under 2)
$286/week
about $14,900 a year
$208/week
about $10,800 a year
Toddler (2)
$235/week
about $12,200 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)
$228/week
about $11,900 a year
$183/week
about $9,500 a year
School-age
$58/week
about $3,000 a year
For an infant at a center: $286/week here, $283 across IL, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 13% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.
U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 18,339 students · $65,619 a year
Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.
IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.
The facts behind it
Typical home value
$355,650
What a typical home sells for across the Chicago area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026
Cost of living
About 4% above the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $104 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 103.6 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 1 hr 17 min at rush hour
To downtown Chicago, IL, 56 miles. About 1 hr 6 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
31 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL), loaded July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $2,643 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in IL. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Very Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
1 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
Fewer than 10 a year
The CDC doesn't publish exact counts under 10. IL average: 14.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 3.9 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 350 people without housing in the Joliet, Bolingbrook/Will County area (3 counties): 317 in shelters and 33 outside, down from 357 in 2024. IL: 11.5 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$110,474
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
2.53% of home value a year
About $2,530 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 4.95%
IL's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.