Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Aurora, IL

    Is Aurora a good place to live?

    Watch Aurora

    Aurora ranks #63 of 87 Illinois cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (39/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.8% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $260,400
    +7.8% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,535
    per month
    Household income
    $90,109
    median
    Unemployment
    5.9%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Aurora

    The median home value in Aurora is $260,400 and median rent is $1,535 a month, against a median household income of $90,109. Homes cost about 2.9× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Aurora crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Illinois the 2025 rate was 258 violent and 1,556 property crimes per 100,000 people — #24 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Aurora, IL

    Aurora has about 179,867 residents, 5.9% unemployment and 23% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Aurora with

    Aurora vs ChicagoAurora vs JolietAurora vs NapervilleAurora vs RockfordAurora vs ElginAurora vs SpringfieldAurora vs PeoriaAurora vs Waukegan

    More: Where to move in Illinois · Best counties in Illinois

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report