Downers Grove, IL real estate

Living in Downers Grove

About Downers Grove

Downers Grove is a DuPage County municipality with a population of 50,054 residents. The area encompasses 30 neighborhoods with varied residential home options. Driving routes connect the community directly to several major employment hubs and transportation anchors. A drive to Oak Brook spans 5.2 miles and takes 11 minutes. Reaching O'Hare International Airport involves a 20.2-mile drive that takes 42 minutes. Commuters traveling to the Loop face a 23.5-mile drive that takes 64 minutes.

The layout and transit times suit buyers seeking established housing stock coupled with predictable driving routines. The location particularly serves commuters who travel regularly to commercial destinations in Oak Brook or the Loop. The community also includes civic points of interest, such as the Downers Grove Museum. The selection of neighborhoods accommodates buyers who prioritize proximity to airport routes alongside suburban living. You can review the details of local property prices, inventory, and values in the market section below.

Is Downers Grove a good place to live?

Downers Grove spans 14.7 square miles within DuPage County and has a population of 50,054 people. The village contains 20,662 households distributed across its residential streets. When you examine the local housing market, owner-occupied properties account for 75.2% of the housing stock. In addition, the median year built for residential structures in the village is 1974.

Property pricing and community finances provide clear insight into everyday living costs. The median home value in Downers Grove is $449,800. For residents who choose to lease their homes, the median rent is $1,656 per month. The village also records a median household income of $115,114, which directly supports these local home values and rents.

Daily travel patterns also shape life in the municipality. Commuters from Downers Grove face an average travel time of 28 minutes to reach their workplaces. Looking at the commute, the local housing costs, and the reported income figures helps you decide if the village fits your practical plans.

Downers Grove at a glance

Downers Grove covers 14.7 sq mi in DuPage County, where 50,054 residents live across 20,662 households. Owner-occupied properties make up 75.2% of the local housing, with a median home value of $449,800. The figures below give you a direct overview of area household income, home values, and typical travel times.

Homes and neighborhoods in Downers Grove

Downers Grove presents housing built across more than a century. In Randall Park, you will find single-family residences built primarily between the 1890s and 1950s. This neighborhood features American Foursquares, bungalows, and Victorians on a rectilinear street grid with detached garages. Modern two-story infill construction also stands along these blocks. Downtown Downers Grove mixes mid-rise condominium buildings constructed from the late 1990s through the 2010s with multi-story townhomes. The downtown street grid also contains early 20th-century houses with attached and detached garages.

Denburn Woods features custom single-family homes on rolling, half-acre or larger parcels. You encounter mid-century modern designs, ranches, and two-story infill builds along winding lanes without sidewalks. Homes in Denburn Woods include attached garages. In Orchard Brook, single-family houses date from the late 1960s and 1970s. The neighborhood showcases two-story colonials, split-levels, and ranches with attached two-car garages. These properties sit on quarter- to half-acre lots along curving streets and cul-de-sacs.

Fairview offers single-family post-war ranches, Cape Cods, and two-story houses from the mid-20th century. Multi-family condominium complexes and modern infill builds also occupy its standard suburban lots. Across Downers Grove, homes built between 1970 and 1999 represent 44.0% of the residential stock. Properties built between 1940 and 1969 make up 31.7% of the total housing. Additional residential areas include Belmont, Beverly Glen, Boundary Hill, Downers Grove Estates, Hidden Pines, and Inverness Woods.

The Downers Grove housing market

Over the 12 months between September 2025 and August 2026, home prices in Downers Grove remained relatively steady. The median sold price stood at $300,500 in September 2025 and moved to $303,500 by August 2026. Properties continued to sell quickly throughout this span, with average days on market shifting slightly from 24 days down to 23 days.

Inventory and transaction volumes saw small adjustments over the same annual tracking window. Buyers closed 48 purchases against 59 new listings in September 2025, compared to 44 sales and 56 new listings in August 2026. Sellers also collected a larger share of their asking prices over time, as the list-to-sale price ratio rose from 99.1% to 99.5%. You can consult the complete market report to review additional monthly data and long-term figures for Downers Grove.

Housing stock

Single-family detached homes make up 62.0% of the residential options in Downers Grove. Multi-unit residential buildings account for 29.7% of the local properties. Single-family attached residences make up 7.6% of the town, and manufactured homes represent the remaining 0.7%.

Homes built between 1970 and 1999 form the largest era of construction at 44.0% of all properties. Structures built from 1940 through 1969 account for 31.7% of the housing supply. Properties constructed before 1940 contribute 8.8% of all residences across the village. Newer construction from 2000 through 2009 accounts for 8.7%, and homes built in 2010 and later represent 6.7%.

Schools serving Downers Grove

Several public school districts serve students living in Downers Grove. Elementary districts serving prekindergarten through eighth grade include Downers Grove Grade School District 58, Center Cass School District 66, and Darien School District 61. Glen Ellyn Community Consolidated School District 89 and Lombard School District 44 also cover grades prekindergarten through eighth. For high school, Community High School District 99 and Glenbard Township High School District 87 serve grades 9 through 12. Lisle Community Unit School District 202 serves prekindergarten through twelfth grade.

In addition, Midwestern University is a college located in Downers Grove.

Getting around

Public transportation in Downers Grove includes Downers Grove Main Street, Fairview Ave., and Belmont stations. Taking transit to The Loop covers 22 miles and takes 47 minutes. Driving the 23.5 miles to The Loop takes 64 minutes.

For trips to Oak Brook, driving covers 5.2 miles in 11 minutes. Taking transit to Oak Brook takes 76 minutes across 10.9 miles. Travel to O'Hare International Airport takes 42 minutes by car for a 20.2-mile trip. The same trip to O'Hare International Airport takes 96 minutes over 40.2 miles when you ride transit.

Things to do in Downers Grove

You can explore several local parks and trails throughout Downers Grove. Lyman Woods & William F. Sherman, Jr. Interpretive Center preserves local natural land with walking trails. McCollum Park features athletic fields, playgrounds, and paved walking paths. Fishel Park provides open parkland and community lawn space near the center of the village. Patriots Park offers additional outdoor recreation with open green fields and walking routes.

Downtown Downers Grove serves as the primary dining district in the village, featuring local restaurants and independent eateries. For shopping, you can visit The Grove Shopping Center for everyday retail and local services. Meadowbrook Shopping Center provides convenient retail storefronts and commercial businesses along the main driving corridors. Together, these commercial centers give you diverse dining and shopping options close to residential neighborhoods.

Landmarks and entertainment venues offer indoor recreation and cultural activities in Downers Grove. Classic Cinemas Tivoli Theatre hosts movie screenings and community entertainment in a historic auditorium. The Downers Grove Public Library provides extensive book collections, digital resources, and educational programs. For indoor recreation, you can visit X-Golf Downers Grove, which offers golf play and social entertainment.

Working in Downers Grove

You will find corporate employment opportunities located directly within the village of Downers Grove. Dover Corporation is headquartered or maintains a campus location in the municipality. This corporate presence allows you to pursue professional work without leaving the local area. Living near Dover Corporation helps you keep daily commute times short between home and the workplace. You can travel quickly to the corporate facility from residential streets throughout the community.

Pros and cons of living in Downers Grove

On the positive side, Downers Grove offers swift access to major western suburban destinations. A drive to Oak Brook takes 11 minutes across 5.2 miles, and the overall average commute time for residents is 28 minutes. In August 2026, homes spent an average of 23 days on the market and achieved a 99.5% list-to-sale price ratio. Furthermore, owner-occupied housing accounts for 75.2% of the residential properties across the community.

On the other hand, travel times lengthen considerably when you drive toward central Chicago or major air transit hubs. The 23.5-mile drive to The Loop takes 64 minutes, while reaching O'Hare International Airport requires 42 minutes over 20.2 miles. Buyers also navigate tight monthly inventory, reflected by 56 new listings and 44 closed sales in August 2026. In addition, the community carries a median home value of $449,800 and a median rent of $1,656.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER.