Downers Grove vs. Western Springs: Which Suburb Fits You? (2026)

Downers Grove and Western Springs sit just a few miles apart on the same Metra line, both are walkable BNSF towns with strong schools — and yet they’re genuinely different buys. One is a larger, more varied town that straddles a famous price line; the other is a small, tight, pricier village in a different county with a different tax math. Here’s the honest, numbers-first comparison.

Short version: Western Springs is smaller, pricier, and more uniformly upscale, with a Cook County tax bill to match. Downers Grove is larger and more varied — it offers a real value side and more options, on the lower-rate DuPage system — but you have to navigate its north-vs-south split.

The quick comparison

(Prices per Redfin/Movoto/MRED; taxes per Ownwell; schools per Niche/GreatSchools; commute per Metra BNSF; all 2025–2026. Confirm current figures before acting.)

Home prices: value vs. premium

The price gap is the first thing you’ll notice. A typical detached home in Downers Grove runs around $575,000, while in Western Springs it’s roughly $880,000 to just over $1,000,000. Western Springs is simply a more expensive, more uniformly upscale market.

But there’s nuance. Downers Grove is two markets in one, split by the BNSF tracks and 55th Street: the north side carries a charm-and-walkability premium, while south of 55th is widely considered the best value in DuPage — you can still find brick single-family homes under $500K there. Western Springs has its own value pocket (the Springdale neighborhood, ~$615K), but as a whole it sits well above Downers Grove. If stretching your dollar matters, Downers Grove gives you more room to do it. (See our Downers Grove “what $X buys” guide.)

Taxes: the DuPage vs. Cook County difference

This is the one cross-shoppers miss. Downers Grove is in DuPage County (~1.85% effective rate); Western Springs is in Cook County (~2.1%). Cook assesses homes at just 10% of value but applies a large equalization multiplier, so despite the low-looking assessment, the effective rate runs higher — Western Springs’ median annual bill is around $12,900. So Western Springs costs more on both counts: higher home prices and a higher tax rate. Downers Grove’s DuPage system is friendlier. (Details in our Western Springs tax guide and Downers Grove tax guide.)

Schools: both strong, structured differently

Both towns are genuine schools towns. Western Springs keeps it simple: a small, top-rated in-village K-8 district (101) feeding Lyons Township High School, which GreatSchools rates 10/10. Downers Grove runs District 58 elementary into District 99’s two high schools, North and South — both earn an A from Niche, with North ranking a bit higher. The catch in Downers Grove is that which high school you feed depends on your address (roughly the 55th Street line), so verify it before you buy (see our Downers Grove schools guide). Western Springs has no such split.

The commute: both excellent, slightly different

Both are strong BNSF commuter towns. Western Springs is a touch closer in, about 28–35 minutes to Union Station, with a single walkable downtown station — from the Old Town core, the train is a short walk. Downers Grove runs about 35–52 minutes but has a real advantage: three stations (Main Street, Belmont, Fairview), so more of the town is near a train. One Downers Grove quirk worth knowing: the Main Street lot has a multi-year parking waitlist, while Belmont and Fairview have none — which can steer where you buy (see our Downers Grove commute guide).

So which should you choose?

• Choose Western Springs if: you want a small, walkable, uniformly upscale village with a top high school and a slightly faster commute — and your budget comfortably clears the high-$800Ks-plus, with a Cook County tax bill.
• Choose Downers Grove if: you want more value and more options — a real entry point under $600K (especially south of 55th), the lower DuPage tax rate, three train stations, and a larger town with a lively downtown — and you’re willing to navigate the north-vs-south school line.

The simplest framing: Western Springs is the pricier, more uniform, Cook-County option; Downers Grove is the larger, more flexible, lower-tax DuPage option with a genuine value side.

Not sure which fits your budget? Tell us your number and whether schools, commute, or value matters most, and we’ll show you honestly what each town buys for you — and which side of Downers Grove, if that’s the direction.

Frequently asked questions

Is Downers Grove or Western Springs more expensive?

Western Springs, clearly. A typical detached home runs about $880K–$1.05M in Western Springs versus around $575K in Downers Grove. Western Springs is also Cook County, so it carries a higher effective tax rate (~2.1% vs ~1.85%) on top of the higher prices.

Which has lower property taxes, Downers Grove or Western Springs?

Downers Grove. It’s in DuPage County with an effective rate around 1.85%, while Western Springs is in Cook County at roughly 2.1%. Cook’s low 10% assessment is offset by a large equalization multiplier, so the effective rate ends up higher.

Which has better schools?

Both are strong. Western Springs feeds District 101 and Lyons Township (GreatSchools 10/10). Downers Grove feeds District 99’s two high schools, North and South, both A-rated. The difference is that Downers Grove’s high school depends on your address (the 55th Street line), while Western Springs has a single path.

Which has a better commute to Chicago?

Both are excellent BNSF towns. Western Springs is slightly closer (~28–35 min) with one walkable station; Downers Grove is ~35–52 min but has three stations, so more of the town is near a train. Note Downers Grove’s Main Street station has a parking waitlist.

Where is the best value between the two?

Downers Grove, especially south of 55th Street, which is widely called the best value in DuPage County — brick single-family homes are still available under $500K there, well below Western Springs.

Keep reading

• Living in Downers Grove: the complete buyer’s guide
• Living in Western Springs: the complete buyer’s guide
• Naperville vs. Hinsdale: the full comparison

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, 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. Prices, tax rates, and school ratings change; confirm current figures before you rely on them.

Photo: "Downers Grove Main Street Metra Station" by HistorySports, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Source: source