CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

41.65° N · 88.62° W · GEOID 1767548

Sandwich

DeKalb County, Illinois · part of the Chicago, IL metro

IllinoisSandwich, ILSandwichSandwich

The short answer

Sandwich is home to 7,219 people. Median household income is $80,768 a year and median rent is $1,029 a month, 15.3% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $255,700, about 3.2x annual median household income.

Sandwich stands out on value for money. Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 81 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings. Also notable: Rent took 19.1% of the median income in the 2019 survey and 15.3% in 2024. In the 25 places most like it the share rose 0.2 points on average, so affordability held up better here.

66OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Above average

Sandwich scores better than 66% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 171st of 335 in Illinois.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%79
Economy 20%36
Safety 20%90
Amenities 15%44
Education 10%21
Commute 10%38
Growth 5%44
Median gross rent
$1,029
25% below the median place
Median household income
$80,768
1% above the median place
Median home value
$255,700
20% below the median place
Unemployment
6.8%
39% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Sandwich

  • Value for moneyRent is about 20% lower than we would expect for a place with these incomes, education levels, housing age and household types in the same metro area. That can mean good value, or drawbacks these figures do not capture, such as crime, schools or location. Experimental
01

Moving to Sandwich

DeKalb County gains about 0.2 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in5,048
Moved out5,030
Net+18

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Illinois, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within IllinoisOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$54K
Leavers$53K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of DeKalb County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.1% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.9% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into DeKalb County report $54,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $52,900.
Income you would need
$41,200 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,029 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,773 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $255,700.
Getting to work
27 minutes each way on average; 11.7% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Sturtevant, WI matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
5.1%
11% below the median place
Income of households moving out8
$52,940
25% below the median place
Income of households moving in8
$53,972
24% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureSandwichAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year15.1%11% below
Moved from another state1County figure1.9%6% below
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure0.2above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$53,97224% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$52,94025% below
02

What it costs to live here

Homeowners pay a median of about 2.1% of home value a year in property tax, more than in 92% of the 2,266 places under 10,000 people we track.

Sandwich15.3%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$41,160
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
15.3%
25% below the median place
Home price to income
3.2x
17% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
15%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$67,400
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Sandwich, $1,029 a month, and local prices for everything else (101.9 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Sandwich, but easier on the budget

Places that match Sandwich on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Sturtevant, WI9612.7% vs 15.3%$16,400Compare
Green River, WY9513.0% vs 15.3%n/aCompare
Wellston, OH9411.4% vs 15.3%n/aCompare
Thurmont, MD9311.3% vs 15.3%$19,600Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Sandwich.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Sandwich? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax rate1
2.1%
133% above the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$5,433
66% above the median place
Homeownership1
75.5%
14% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureSandwichAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,02925% below
Rent to income115.3%25% below
Property tax rate12.1%133% above
Home price to income13.2x17% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure103.63% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,4818% below
HUD area median income4County figure$112,5005% above
Property tax paid (median)1$5,43366% above
Median home value1$255,70020% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure6.4%101% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure55.4%8% above
Homeownership175.5%14% above
Renters paying 30%+150.3%1% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,7735% below
Vacant homes1County figure5.1%28% below
Median year built119780% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Income per person1
$35,312
12% below the median place
Mean commute1
27 min
9% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Works from home11.7% −6%
Poverty rate10.3% −5%
Median household income$80,768 +1%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureSandwichAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$80,7681% above
Income per person1$35,31212% below
Unemployment1County figure6.8%39% above
Average annual pay6County figure$59,42310% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure4.4%19% above
Jobs6County figure36,50676% below
Poverty rate110.3%5% below
Mean commute127 min9% above
Works from home111.7%6% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Bachelor's or higher is 20.3%, 37% below the median place.

Bachelor's or higher1
20.3%
37% below the median place
No health insurance1
4.6%
28% below the median place
Homes with broadband1
94.4%
2% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Born abroad5.7% −36%
Household size2.6 +2%
High school or higher92.9% +1%
Median age39.3 +1%
All 9 people measures
MeasureSandwichAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population17,2195296th largest
Population change since 202072.2%89% above
Median age139.31% above
Bachelor's or higher120.3%37% below
High school or higher192.9%1% above
Household size12.62% above
Born abroad15.7%36% below
No health insurance14.6%28% below
Homes with broadband194.4%2% above
05

Life in Sandwich

OpenStreetMap shows 5.5 libraries per 10,000 residents, more than in 97% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track.

Founded or incorporated in 1859. 2 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Sandwich City Hall listed 1979
  • von KleinSmid Mansion listed 1985

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents19.4 +91%
Playgrounds per 10k19.4 2.1×
Grocery stores per 10k1.4 −34%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k12.5 +12%
Libraries per 10k5.5 6.4×
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Pullman National Historical Park 52 miles
  • Indiana Dunes National Park 78 miles
  • Ice Age Trail 136 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars19.8 −5%
Shops25.5 −16%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.9 −5%
Doctors' offices and clinics15.6 −23%
Child care centers1.4 −39%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public school students14
1,872
62% below the median place
Nearest National Park Service site11
52.1
69% above the median place
Public schools14
7
22% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureSandwichAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14722% below
Public school students141,87262% below
Students per teacher1414.46% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure19.85% below
Shops per 10k9County figure25.516% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure3.95% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure15.623% below
Child care centers per 10k9County figure1.439% below
Parks per 10k1019.491% above
Playgrounds per 10k1019.4106% above
Grocery stores per 10k101.434% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k1012.512% above
Libraries per 10k105.5above (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails100.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi100.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1152.169% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles11150% below
National Register listings12285% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 68, 64% below the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
68
64% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
205
83% below the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Wildfire risk16
6.4
90% below the median place
Good air days17
29.9%
56% below the median place
January average low15
14°F
45% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureSandwichAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure83°F4% below
January average low15County figure14°F45% below
Average temperature15County figure49°F11% below
Annual precipitation15County figure37.5 in14% below
Natural hazard risk16County figure80.813% below
Hurricane risk16County figure19.672% below
Tornado risk16County figure88.18% above
Wildfire risk16County figure6.490% below
Heat wave risk16County figure59.035% below
Median air quality index17Metro figure5630% above
Good air days17Metro figure29.9%56% below
08

Sandwich in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 15% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 15% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Sandwich does better than 79% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 52%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,029/mo (2024)$1,290/mo$1,060 to $1,570/mo+3.8%
Median household income$80,768 (2024)$102,000$86,000 to $120,500+3.9%
Median home value$255,700 (2024)$367,000$266,000 to $506,000+6.2%
Population7,380 (2025)7,5107,200 to 7,830+0.3%

The median home would be worth 3.6 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.2 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Sandwich

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Omak, WA$1,002$76,544Compare
Orange, VA$1,103$76,370Compare
Franklin Park, IL$1,109$76,519Compare
Le Mars, IA$929$74,701Compare
Le Mars, IAFranklin Park, ILOrange, VAOmak, WASandwich, ILSandwichOmakOrangeFranklin ParkLe MarsSandwichOmakOrangeFranklin ParkLe Mars

Places built like Sandwich

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Sandwich performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Sandwich, IL15.3%4.1%/yr2.2%
Sturtevant, WI12.7%7.1%/yr-0.8%Compare
Genoa, IL13.7%4.1%/yr4.6%Compare
Northgate, OH15.7%3.3%/yrn/aCompare
Wellston, OH11.4%7.4%/yr1.3%Compare
Richmond, MI16.0%2.3%/yr0.8%Compare
Northridge, OH15.6%4.8%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is Sandwich a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 66 out of 100, better than 66% of the places we rate and 171st of 335 in Illinois. Rent is about 20% lower than we would expect for a place with these incomes, education levels, housing age and household types in the same metro area. That can mean good value, or drawbacks these figures do not capture, such as crime, schools or location. On cost, space and class size it scores 83 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Sandwich expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 15.3% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $255,700.

What salary do you need to live in Sandwich?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $41,160 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Sandwich safe?

There were 68 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Sandwich?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Omak, WA, Orange, VA, Franklin Park, IL and Le Mars, IA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Sandwich with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Sandwich itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/sandwich-illinois

Citytistics. “Sandwich, Illinois.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/sandwich-illinois/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.