All cities / Illinois / Chicago
Chicago, IL for digital nomads
The one city here where living without a car is normal: over a quarter of households have none.
As of October 2026, a 1-bedroom near downtown Chicago runs $2,670 a month on HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent, against $1,780 across the whole metro area, which includes the far-out and less walkable parts. The downtown walkability index is 16.8 out of 20 (most walkable), 27.4% of households get by with no car, and the fastest advertised home internet is 5 Gbps from AT&T. An entire-home Airbnb has a median of $239 a night. The city has 58 open breweries.
.jpg){kind=link}
- 1-bed near downtown
- $2,670HUD FY2027, utilities in
- 1-bed metro-wide
- $1,780HUD, whole metro
- Walkability
- 16.8/20Most walkable
- No-car households
- 27.4%Car optional
- Fastest internet
- 5 GbpsAT&T
- Transit ride
- $2.75CTA
- Airbnb night
- $239median, entire home
- July high
- 85°FNOAA normal
- Breweries
- 58open, in city
Live in Chicago? Tell us what you pay and your number joins the resident figures below the housing section.
Walkability and internet in Chicago
| Provider | Type | Top speed | Addresses covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity | Cable | 2 Gbps | 100% |
| AT&T | Fiber | 5 Gbps | 74% |
Housing costs in Chicago
The headline number is HUD's Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom, utilities included, taken as the median of 16 ZIP codes within 2 miles of downtown: the same circle the walkability score covers, so the rent and the walkability describe the same place. The metro-wide figure is HUD's rent for the whole Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area, which is lower in most cities because it includes outlying areas. The Census figure is what current tenants pay inside the city limits.
What people in Chicago say they pay
A second opinion on the official figures, from readers who live here. Each number shows once three people have reported it, marked low confidence until there are five: the middle value of the last 12 months of reports, with the highest and lowest 10% set aside. Reports are stored as numbers only.
Food costs in Chicago
Burger and fries at local restaurants
| Restaurant | What was priced | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Superdawg Drive-In (Norwood Park) | Supercheesie cheeseburger with Superfries and trimmings (fries included) | $11.15 |
| Redhot Ranch | RHR Cheeseburger & Fries $6.55 (fries included) | $6.55 |
| Fatso's Last Stand (Lincoln Park) | Junior Fatso's w/ Cheese (1/4 lb) $7.50 + homemade fresh cut fries $4.75 | $12.25 |
| The Region (Roscoe Village) | Single Cheeseburger $10.95 + Small Fries $3.75 | $14.70 |
| Vito & Nick's Pizzeria (Ashburn) | Cheeseburger $11.95 + fries with sandwich $2.50 | $14.45 |
Cheese pizza at local pizzerias
| Pizzeria | What was priced | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Pequod's Pizza (Lincoln Park) | Cheese pizza, thin crust (large), 16 inch | $24.55 |
| Vito & Nick's Pizzeria (Ashburn) | Thin crust cheese, 14 inch Large (largest size on the menu), 14 inch | $20.99 |
| Bartoli's Pizzeria (Roscoe Village) | Thin crust cheese, 16 inch XLarge, 16 inch | $21.50 |
| Italian Fiesta Pizzeria (South Shore, 71st St) | Traditional thin crust cheese, Large 16 inch, 16 inch | $24.50 |
| Piece Brewery and Pizzeria (Wicker Park) | Red pizza (tomato sauce and mozzarella), Large; menu gives no inch size, says large serves 3 to 5 | $29.00 |
Getting around Chicago without a car
| How residents get to work | Share |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 43.5% |
| Public transit | 20.5% |
| Walk | 7.1% |
| Bike | 1.8% |
| Work from home | 17.6% |
Source: Census ACS 2024 1-year, table B08301.
Weather in Chicago by month
30-year averages for 1991 to 2020 from the Chicago Midway Ap weather station, 9 miles from downtown.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high | 33°F | 37°F | 48°F | 60°F | 71°F | 81°F | 85°F | 83°F | 76°F | 63°F | 49°F | 38°F |
| Average low | 19°F | 23°F | 32°F | 41°F | 52°F | 62°F | 68°F | 66°F | 59°F | 47°F | 35°F | 25°F |
| Rain, inches | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 1.8 |
Places to work in Chicago
Counts are within 2 miles of downtown.
Coworking spaces within 10 miles
| Coworking space | Address | Miles from downtown |
|---|---|---|
| Spaces | 332 South Michigan Avenue | 0.3 |
| TechNexus | 20 North Wacker Drive | 0.5 |
| WeWork | 330 North Wabash Avenue | 0.7 |
| SPACE by doejo | 444 North Wabash Avenue | 0.9 |
| Spaces | 620 North LaSalle Drive | 1 |
| mHUB | 1623 West Fulton Street | 2 |
| Prism Spaces | 1212 North Ashland Avenue | 2.7 |
| Three Cities Social | 1643 North Milwaukee Avenue | 3.4 |
| The Honeycomb Network | 2659 West Division Street | 3.7 |
| Hatch 41 | 4131 South State Street | 4.1 |
| Guild Row | 3130 North Rockwell Street | 5.3 |
| Second Shift | 3432 West Diversey Avenue | 5.7 |
| MyCornerOffice - Lincoln Square | 4631 North Lincoln Avenue | 6.7 |
| University CoWork | 6127 South University Avenue | 6.8 |
| Englewood Accelerator | 815 West 63rd Street | 6.9 |
| The Lair | 4551 North Kedzie Avenue | 7.2 |
| Chicago Bitcoin Collective | 3938 North Central Avenue | 8.7 |
Makerspaces and hackerspaces within 10 miles
| Makerspace | Address | Miles from downtown |
|---|---|---|
| UIC Engineering Makerspace | Address not mapped | 1.1 |
| Pumping Station: One | 3519 North Elston Avenue | 6.1 |
| MIND + HAND | 5400 South Pulaski Road | 7.5 |
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, read Oct 2026. Names link to the space's own website where one is mapped, otherwise to its map entry. Volunteers keep this map, so some spaces are missing; tell us about one and it can be added upstream.
Breweries in Chicago
58 breweries listed as open inside the Chicago city limits on Open Brewery DB, a community-kept directory, read Oct 2026. Breweries in nearby suburbs are not counted, and a few new ones may be missing.
Camping and van life near Chicago
Public land and campgrounds within 50 miles of downtown, from federal map services, read Oct 2026. Distances are straight-line from downtown, so driving is further.
Free overnight spot for van lifers
No named free camping area is mapped within 50 miles. The nearest national forest is within 50 miles, and dispersed camping is allowed in most national forests outside developed sites.
No Forest Service or BLM campground is mapped within 50 miles of downtown.
Air quality and natural hazards in Chicago
| Natural hazard | FEMA risk rating |
|---|---|
| Heat wave | Very High |
| Wildfire | Very Low |
| Hurricane | Very Low |
| Tornado | Very High |
| Earthquake | Relatively High |
| Inland flooding | Very High |
| Coastal flooding | Relatively Low |
| Winter weather | Very High |
| Drought | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025, for Cook County. Ratings compare this county with every other US county and count the people and buildings exposed, so large counties tend to rate higher.
Indie hacking scene in Chicago
Indie meetup found
Bootstrappers Breakfast Chicago is a monthly meetup for early-stage founders growing on their own cash flow, and the 1871 hub hosts developer and founder events. We could not confirm current meeting dates.
Found by web search in Oct 2026. Meetups come and go, so check the link for current dates.
Questions people ask
How much is rent in Chicago, IL?
Near downtown, $2,670 a month for a 1-bedroom and $2,520 for a studio, utilities included: that is HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent, the median of 16 ZIP codes within 2 miles of downtown, as of October 2026. Across the whole Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area the figure is $1,780, 33% less, because it includes outlying areas. Current tenants inside the city limits report a median of $1,399 for a 1-bedroom (Census ACS 2024 1-year).
Is Chicago walkable?
Most walkable by the EPA's National Walkability Index: the area within 2 miles of downtown Chicago scores 16.8 out of 20, and the area within 5 miles scores 15.5. 7.1% of residents walk to work.
Do you need a car in Chicago?
Car optional. 27.4% of Chicago households own no car, 20.5% of residents commute by public transit, and a single CTA ride costs $2.75 ($6.00 for a day pass). The bike network scores 11 out of 100 with PeopleForBikes.
How fast is home internet in Chicago?
The fastest advertised home plan is 5 Gbps fiber from AT&T, offered to 74% of addresses according to FCC coverage data. The cheapest advertised plan starts at $45 a month before fees. Speeds are advertised, not measured.
Is there free camping near Chicago?
No named free camping area is mapped within 50 miles of downtown. The nearest national forest is within 50 miles.
What does an Airbnb cost in Chicago?
The median nightly price for an entire home was $239 across 5,740 listings in the Inside Airbnb snapshot from Sep 2026.
How hot does Chicago get in summer?
The hottest month is July with an average high of 85°F and nights around 68°F. The coldest month averages a low of 19°F. These are NOAA 30-year normals for 1991 to 2020.
How many breweries are in Chicago?
58 breweries are listed as open inside the city limits on Open Brewery DB as of Oct 2026: 28 microbreweries, 16 brewpubs, 6 contract breweries, 3 large breweries, 3 proprietor brands, 2 regional breweries. See every Chicago brewery with a link and a map.
Is Chicago good for indie hackers?
Indie meetup found. Bootstrappers Breakfast Chicago is a monthly meetup for early-stage founders growing on their own cash flow, and the 1871 hub hosts developer and founder events. We could not confirm current meeting dates.
Know Chicago? Spot a wrong number, a missing link or something worth adding? Suggest an update for Chicago.
Rent by ZIP code near downtown Chicago
HUD publishes rent for each ZIP code. These are the ones within 2 miles of downtown, cheapest 1-bedroom first; each has its own page.
- 60608 $1,530
- 60612 $1,890
- 60616 $2,010
- 60622 $2,490
- 60603 $2,620
- 60601 $2,670
- 60602 $2,670
- 60604 $2,670
- 60605 $2,670
- 60606 $2,670
- 60607 $2,670
- 60610 $2,670
- 60611 $2,670
- 60642 $2,670
- 60654 $2,670
- 60661 $2,670
Nearest cities on the site
- Nashville, TN 398 mi, $1,725
- Chattanooga, TN 488 mi, $1,245
- Asheville, NC 513 mi, $1,800
- Atlanta, GA 589 mi, $1,710
Cities with similar rent
Compare Chicago with another city
- Chicago vs San Diego
- Chicago vs Atlanta
- Chicago vs Chattanooga
- Chicago vs Asheville
- Chicago vs Anaheim
- Chicago vs Nashville
- Every comparison
Or open a city on its own: Austin, TX, Denver, CO, Las Vegas, NV, San Diego, CA, Miami, FL, Atlanta, GA, Chattanooga, TN, Asheville, NC, Tucson, AZ, Anaheim, CA, Riverside, CA, Nashville, TN, Portland, OR.