Relocating to DuPage County: The Complete 2026 Guide

If you’re targeting Chicago’s western suburbs, there’s a good chance you’re really targeting DuPage County — home to many of the area’s most sought-after towns, top-rated schools, and a property-tax picture that’s generally lower and more predictable than neighboring Cook County. Here’s what makes DuPage distinctive, the towns within it, and how to choose.

Why DuPage County

DuPage sits directly west of Chicago and Cook County, and it’s a relocation magnet for a few concrete reasons:

• Top schools. DuPage is stacked with highly-rated districts and high schools — Hinsdale Central, Glenbard West, Naperville’s District 203/204 schools, Wheaton’s two A+ high schools, and more. (Best school districts in DuPage ›)
• Lower, more predictable taxes than Cook. DuPage uses a more straightforward assessment system than Cook County’s, and effective rates generally run lower. (DuPage vs. Cook taxes ›)
• Two strong Metra lines into the city (more below).
• A genuine range of towns and prices — from attainable to ultra-premium.

The DuPage towns (and what each is known for)

The county’s western-suburb towns, each with a full buyer’s guide:

(Note: two towns we cover — La Grange and Western Springs — are just over the line in Cook County, with the highly regarded Lyons Township schools but a different, generally higher, tax system.)

Property taxes: the DuPage advantage

This is one of the biggest reasons people choose DuPage. Compared with Cook County, DuPage generally offers lower effective rates and a simpler, more transparent assessment process — residential property is assessed at one-third of value, with a state multiplier near 1.0. Rates still vary by town (Oak Brook and Burr Ridge are notably low; Glen Ellyn and Hinsdale run higher), so check the specific town and parcel. (Western suburbs taxes by town, ranked ›)

Standard exemptions apply via the DuPage County Treasurer — the General Homestead Exemption (file it the year you close), senior exemptions, and the Homestead Improvement Exemption for renovations.

Schools

DuPage is one of the strongest school counties in Illinois. The marquee names — Hinsdale Central (~#9 in Illinois), Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn), Naperville’s several top high schools, and Wheaton’s two A+ schools — anchor home values across the county. The essential habit everywhere in DuPage: verify the school for the exact address, since most towns assign by parcel, and several towns (Naperville, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton) split between districts or high schools. (How to check the district ›)

Getting downtown: the Metra lines

DuPage commuters rely on two main Metra lines:

• BNSF line → Union Station: Naperville, Hinsdale, Downers Grove, Clarendon Hills (the system’s busiest line, with express service).
• UP-West line → Ogilvie: Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton.

Closer-in towns (Elmhurst) ride ~25–40 minutes; farther ones (Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Naperville) ~40–60, with express trains narrowing the gap. (Best for the commute ›)

How to choose your DuPage town

1. Rank schools, taxes, commute, and budget/lifestyle in your order.
2. Shortlist towns using the guides above.
3. Compare finalists head-to-head (all our comparisons ›).
4. Verify the school and tax figure for any specific home before you offer.

And remember the county-wide money move: several top schools serve more than one town, so the value entrance to a great school is often the neighboring, lower-priced town (Clarendon Hills for Hinsdale Central, for example).

Relocating to DuPage? Tell us your priorities — schools, taxes, commute, budget — and we’ll build you a shortlist of the right DuPage towns and the specific pockets within them, with the taxes and schools spelled out.

Frequently asked questions

Why do people move to DuPage County?

For top-rated schools, property taxes that are generally lower and more predictable than Cook County’s, two strong Metra lines into the city, and a wide range of towns and prices — from attainable to ultra-premium. It’s home to many of the most sought-after western suburbs, including Naperville, Hinsdale, Wheaton, and Glen Ellyn.

Which DuPage County town is best?

It depends on your priorities. For top schools: Hinsdale, Naperville, Glen Ellyn, and Wheaton. For value: Wheaton and Downers Grove. For low taxes: Oak Brook and Burr Ridge. For a walkable downtown: Hinsdale, Glen Ellyn, and Elmhurst. The best is the one that fits your schools, taxes, commute, and budget.

Are property taxes lower in DuPage than Cook County?

Generally yes. DuPage uses a more straightforward assessment system and effective rates typically run lower than Cook County’s. Rates still vary by town within DuPage (Oak Brook and Burr Ridge are notably low; Glen Ellyn and Hinsdale run higher), so check the specific town and parcel.

Is Naperville in DuPage County?

Mostly, yes — Naperville straddles DuPage and Will counties (the bulk is in DuPage). Hinsdale is mostly DuPage with a small Cook sliver. Always confirm the county for a specific address, since it affects the tax system. La Grange and Western Springs, by contrast, are in Cook County.

Keep reading

• Moving to the Chicago western suburbs: the complete guide
• DuPage vs. Cook County property taxes explained
• The home-buying process in Illinois, step by step

About Chicago Estates Co
We focus on Chicago’s western suburbs: Naperville, Hinsdale, Downers Grove, Oak Brook, Western Springs, La Grange, Clarendon Hills, Burr Ridge, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, and the towns around them. These guides come from close, current research into the specific markets we cover, with one goal: straight answers most real-estate sites won’t give you.

Last updated: June 2026. Figures change; confirm current numbers before you rely on them.

Photo: Lectrician2 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0