Des Plaines · Cook County · IL
Homes for sale in
Des Plaines.
- Active listings
- 109
- Median list
- $410K
- Avg time on market
- 20 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Map data, Mapbox / OpenStreetMap contributors
Active listings
109 homes on the market
About the community
Living in Des Plaines.
Des Plaines is a northwest suburb of Chicago in Cook County, home to roughly 60,000 residents (60,675 at the 2020 census). The city is named for and sits on the Des Plaines River, which runs just east of its downtown. It is positioned right next to O'Hare International Airport, which shapes both its commute access and its character. Des Plaines holds a real piece of American history: the site of the first McDonald's restaurant franchised by Ray Kroc, which opened in April 1955 and later became the McDonald's No. 1 Store Museum. It is also home to Rivers Casino, one of Illinois' busiest gaming venues, and is served by the Metra Union Pacific Northwest line. Downtown life centers on Miner Street, where the Metra station and the city's older commercial core sit side by side.
At a glance
~60,000 residents
The 2020 census counted 60,675 people, making Des Plaines one of the larger northwest Cook County suburbs.
District 62 + Maine Township 207
Most of the city is served by Community Consolidated School District 62 (Pre-K to 8), with Maine West High School in Maine Township HSD 207 covering most high schoolers.
Metra UP-NW line
The Union Pacific Northwest line runs through the city, with the downtown Des Plaines station at 1501 Miner Street running to Chicago Ogilvie.
Next to O'Hare
Des Plaines sits directly adjacent to O'Hare International Airport, making air travel and airport employment unusually close.
Rivers Casino
Opened July 18, 2011, Rivers Casino is one of Illinois' top-grossing casinos, near the Tri-State Tollway.
First franchised McDonald's
The first Ray Kroc-franchised McDonald's opened here in 1955, later memorialized as the McDonald's No. 1 Store Museum.
~2.39% effective property tax rate
The average effective property tax rate runs about 2.39 percent, in line with the broader Cook County average.
Des Plaines River park spine
The river and Lake Opeka at Lake Park give the city a green spine with golf, a marina, and trails.
What’s close
Des Plaines is built for getting around. The Metra UP-NW line and a tight cluster of expressways put downtown Chicago, O'Hare, and the rest of the northwest suburbs within easy reach, while the Des Plaines River and a deep park system give the city its green spine.
- Metra Des Plaines station (UP-NW)
- Downtown station at 1501 Miner Street with about 310 parking spaces, on the Union Pacific Northwest line into Chicago Ogilvie.
- Downtown / Miner Street
- The city's historic commercial core runs along Miner Street, anchored by the Metra station.
- Rivers Casino
- A 140,000-square-foot casino near Devon Avenue and Des Plaines River Road, adjacent to the Tri-State Tollway.
- O'Hare proximity
- The city borders O'Hare International Airport on its south and east edges.
- Lake Opeka / Lake Park
- A 76-acre park on the west side of Lee Street with a lake, golf course, marina, and the Flight 191 Memorial.
- Oakton College
- Des Plaines is home to Oakton College, the area's largest college by degrees awarded.
What it’s actually like to live here
Daily life in Des Plaines is shaped by its location and its transit. Roughly 67 percent of workers drive alone to work and the average commute is about 28 minutes, but a meaningful share lean on the Metra UP-NW line into the city. The housing stock skews toward owner-occupied single-family homes; the homeownership rate is about 78 percent, well above the national average, and the median property value was $335,600 in 2024. This is a settled, family-oriented suburb rather than a transient one.
Des Plaines is notably diverse for a suburb of its size. About 34 percent of residents were born outside the United States, and roughly 23 percent of the population is Hispanic, with sizable Asian and Eastern European communities. The median household income is around $97,875 and the median age is 42.3, pointing to an established, middle-class population. People here trade a bit of airplane noise and Cook County tax levels for short commutes, river-and-park access, and a genuine downtown.
Neighborhoods
Detailed Des Plaines community pages coming soon.
Browse the listings above. Detailed neighborhood pages with market stats, school info, and lifestyle take-downs land here as we roll them out.
Schools
Districts serving Des Plaines.
Boundary lines do shift. Always confirm in writing for a specific address before writing an offer.
- CCSD62Grades Pre-K – 8
Community Consolidated School District 62
Schools serving the area
- Algonquin Middle School
- Chippewa Middle School
- Iroquois Community School
- Central Elementary
- Cumberland Elementary
The primary Pre-K to 8 district covering most of Des Plaines, operating 11 schools plus the Jane L. Westerhold Early Learning Center. Some edge areas fall in East Maine SD 63 or Park Ridge-Niles SD 64; verify per address.
- D207Grades 9 – 12
Maine Township High School District 207
Schools serving the area
- Maine West High School
- Maine East High School
- Maine South High School
Maine West High School serves most of Des Plaines; some northern and eastern areas fall to Maine East. The district also covers Park Ridge and parts of Glenview, Niles, Morton Grove, and Rosemont.
Around town
What there is to do in Des Plaines.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Culture
Rivers Casino
One of Illinois' busiest casinos, opened in 2011, with gaming, dining, and entertainment near the Tri-State Tollway.
- Parks
Lake Park & Lake Opeka
A 76-acre Des Plaines Park District site with a man-made lake built in 1963, a golf course, marina, and memorial pavilion.
- Food & Drink
The Choo Choo Restaurant
A nostalgic Des Plaines diner, open since 1951, where food is delivered to tables by a model train.
- Culture
First McDonald's Site
The 1955 Ray Kroc franchise site, formerly the McDonald's No. 1 Store Museum, remains a local landmark in the city's history.
- Shopping
Downtown Des Plaines / Miner Street
The walkable historic downtown core along Miner Street, with shops and dining clustered near the Metra station.
- Family
Oakton College
The area's largest community college, hosting public arts, athletics, and continuing-education programs in Des Plaines.
Getting around
Commute + transit from Des Plaines.
MetraUP-NW line
- Stations: Des Plaines, Cumberland
- Terminal: Chicago Ogilvie (OTC)
DriveBy car
- Routes: I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) · US 12/14 (Northwest Highway) · IL 58 (Golf Road) · Mannheim Road (US 12/45)
- Chicago Loop: ~25 min
- O'Hare Airport: ~8 min
By the numbers
Des Plaines taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Property tax rate
2.39%
effective avg
Sales tax
10.00%
combined
Median sold price
$356,550
MRED · last 12 mo (500 sales)
Median household income
$97,875
ACS
How Des Plaines got here
A bit of history.
Des Plaines grew up around a rail line and a river. French explorers and missionaries who arrived in the 1600s named the waterway La Riviere des Plaines, or Plains River, because the trees along it reminded them of European plane trees. The community took its modern name in 1859 when the Chicago and North Western Railway gave its local station the name Des Plaines. The Rand subdivision was renamed Des Plaines in 1869, the village was incorporated and then reincorporated in 1873, and in 1925 village residents voted to convert to a city form of government, annexing the village of Riverview to the south.
The single event that put Des Plaines on the national map came on April 15, 1955, when Ray Kroc opened his first franchised McDonald's restaurant at 400 North Lee Street. McDonald's long referred to it as The Original, though it was technically the ninth McDonald's restaurant. A replica later operated as the McDonald's No. 1 Store Museum, displaying original fry vats, Multimixers, and 1950s-uniformed mannequins. Today the city blends that mid-century commercial heritage with modern draws like Rivers Casino, a riverfront park system, and a downtown commuter core, all while remaining a practical, transit-connected place to live next to O'Hare.
The questions buyers actually ask
Des Plaines FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Des Plaines. If yours isn't here, text 815-355-0582, same-day reply.
- What school districts serve Des Plaines?
- Most of Des Plaines is served by Community Consolidated School District 62 for Pre-K through 8th grade, which runs 11 schools plus an early learning center. For high school, the area falls under Maine Township High School District 207, with Maine West High School serving most of the city. Some edge areas fall into other elementary districts, so confirm at the address level.
- How is the Metra commute from Des Plaines to downtown Chicago?
- Des Plaines is on the Metra Union Pacific Northwest (UP-NW) line, with a downtown station at 1501 Miner Street and a second stop at Cumberland. Trains run to Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center. By car, the Chicago Loop is roughly 25 minutes and about 18 miles via the expressways.
- What kinds of homes are in Des Plaines?
- The housing stock skews toward owner-occupied single-family homes, with a homeownership rate of about 78 percent, well above the national average. The median property value was $335,600 in 2024. It is an established, settled suburb rather than a high-turnover rental market.
- What are property taxes like in Des Plaines?
- Des Plaines is in Cook County, where the average effective property tax rate runs about 2.39 percent, roughly in line with the county average. Rates vary slightly by taxing district, so the bill on a specific home depends on its assessed value and local levies.
- What is the sales tax in Des Plaines?
- The combined sales tax rate in Des Plaines is 10.0 percent, made up of the 6.25 percent Illinois state rate plus Cook County and city of Des Plaines portions. Rates can vary slightly by exact location within the city.
- Is Rivers Casino in Des Plaines?
- Yes. Rivers Casino opened in Des Plaines on July 18, 2011, near Devon Avenue and Des Plaines River Road, adjacent to the Tri-State Tollway. It is one of Illinois' busiest casinos and a significant local employer and entertainment draw.
- What is Des Plaines best known for?
- Des Plaines is best known as the site of the first McDonald's restaurant franchised by Ray Kroc, which opened in 1955 and later became the McDonald's No. 1 Store Museum. The city is also known for Rivers Casino, its setting on the Des Plaines River, and its location right next to O'Hare International Airport.
Nearby
Towns next to Des Plaines.
If you’re cross-shopping the area, these are the places that border Des Plaines.
Your local agent
Joe knows Des Plaines
Most agents will list anything. I focus on the communities I actually know, and the details that determine resale value here aren't in the MLS write-up: which lots back to open space, which streets carry the most consistent demand, which floor plans buyers ask for by name, and what each HOA actually covers.
When you're ready to tour or list, you want someone who's walked the streets, talked to the residents, and read the last 50 closed comps in this market specifically. That's how I work. Text or call any time, and I'll give you a real take, not a brochure.
- Lives in McHenry County
- Local specialist
- Des Plaines specialist
- Honest local market take
- Brokerocity
Thinking of selling?
What's your home actually worth?
Not a Zestimate. A real CMA from someone who's sold this neighborhood, knows the floor plan premiums, and can tell you which upgrades the buyer pool here actually pays for.
- Pricing range with comp-by-comp logic
- Pre-list improvements that pay back, and the ones that don't
- No obligation, no spam, no auto-dialer