For retirees deciding where to settle down, Downers Grove, Illinois, offers what few other locations can: the cosmopolitan reach of Chicago without the cost of living in it, and a lively home base charming enough to hold its own.
That balance is what lands Downers Grove on nearly every list of the best Chicago suburbs to retire in, and it's why so many seniors who come to visit stop looking anywhere else. The city is also home to established senior living communities such as Oak Trace, where retirees can trade home maintenance for easy access to everything Downers Grove and Chicago bring to the table.
Here are the top reasons to retire in Downers Grove, IL, and a glimpse of what daily life can look like when you do.
Key Highlights
- Hometown Vitality and Big-City Proximity: Downers Grove is a walkable western Chicago suburb of about 50,000 residents in DuPage County, just 23 miles from downtown Chicago.
- Access without Driving: Three Metra stations put Chicago’s Loop roughly 30 minutes away by express train—no car required.
- Rich with Natural Beauty: The Morton Arboretum is next door in Lisle, and DuPage County maintains one of the largest forest preserve systems in the country.
- Favorable Retirement Taxation: Illinois does not tax retirement income, including Social Security, pensions, and 401(k) and IRA withdrawals.
- Safe and Senior-Friendly: Approximately 21% of residents in Downers Grove are 65 or older, well above the national share, and crime rates run far below national averages.
1. A Downtown with Character and Plenty to Discover
The first thing you’ll notice about Downtown Downers Grove is the picturesque setting. Flowering trees cloud Main Street Plaza in white blossoms, and a four-faced street clock keeps time over the fountain at its center. Wrought-iron café tables spill from the restaurants onto the sidewalks, and, a block away, a Metra train pulls out and carries someone into downtown Chicago in about half an hour.
The second thing you’ll notice is that this is a downtown with movement, defined not by its quaint brick facades or the Victorian streetlamps, but by the bustle of locals and visitors who come for the setting and stick around for the warmth of the community. From author events at Anderson’s Bookshop and game nights at Fair Game to Wednesday open mics at Ballydoyle and themed tea parties at Pinecone Cottage, there’s something to do for every interest.
What makes it work for retirees specifically is the scale. Everything here—theater, market, dinner, the train platform—sits within an easy, level walk, and the daytime energy means there’s always somewhere to go.
Other Downtown Highlights:
- A 1928 movie palace, still in operation. The Tivoli Theatre opened in Hollywood's golden age and never went dark—a 1,000-plus-seat auditorium that screens films and hosts concerts, summer movie series, and local karaoke championships. Most suburbs would settle for a multiplex; Downers Grove kept the grandeur.
- A farmers market that anchors the week. Saturday mornings from spring through October, downtown fills with local growers and makers.
- A stellar dining scene, with ample variety. Wood-fired plates at GIA MIA, craft cocktails at Foxtail, and a neighborhood table at Pierce Tavern. Culinary range and quality, all within a few blocks.
- A year-round event calendar. Concerts in the park and classic car shows through summer, a beloved Halloween weekend, the Thanksgiving-morning Bonfield Express, and a holiday season brimming with celebratory events: there's almost always a reason to be downtown.
2. Chicago at Arm's Length
Living near a great city has a distinct advantage: you can take it on your own terms and be home in time for dinner. Downers Grove sits about 23 miles west of downtown Chicago, close enough for a day in the city and home before the evening's out.
The connection that matters most is the train. Downers Grove is served by three Metra BNSF stations, Main Street, Belmont, and Fairview, with express service reaching Chicago's Union Station in roughly 30 minutes. That's a morning at the Art Institute, a matinee at the Lyric Opera, or a grandchild's downtown graduation, all without a car, a parking garage, or the Eisenhower at rush hour.
For those who prefer to drive, I-88 and I-355 are minutes away, putting Naperville next door and both O'Hare and Midway airports within comfortable reach. That counts as much for family flying in as for the retiree flying out to visit them.
It's the rare arrangement that lets you keep the city in your life while leaving its noise, expense, and pace behind.
3. Room to Roam, in Every Season
DuPage County is greener than Chicago's reputation suggests, and Downers Grove sits in the middle of it. Just west in Lisle, the Morton Arboretum spreads across 1,700 acres of trees, gardens, and paved, accessible trails, with tram tours for days when you'd sooner ride than walk. Beyond it, DuPage County maintains one of the most extensive forest preserve systems in the nation, layered over the village's own parks and tree-lined streets.
Golfers get a piece of the game's American history. Belmont Golf Club (formerly the Downers Grove Golf Club) is a public nine-hole course on the grounds where golf essentially took root in this country: designed in 1892 as the original Chicago Golf Club, it became the first 18-hole course in the United States a year later, before moving to Wheaton. Today, it plays as a scenic nine and holds designation as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.
All of it comes with four distinct seasons—colorful springs, long green summers, a legitimate autumn, and winters that earn their fireplaces. People who move here tend to be people who want the year to change.
4. The Practical Case
The scenery is the draw; the numbers are what make it stick.
Illinois is notably tax-friendly for retirees. The state fully exempts Social Security benefits, public and private pensions, and 401(k) and IRA withdrawals from state income tax, an advantage over most of the country that compounds year after year. The counterweight is property tax, which runs high across Illinois and DuPage County alike. It's a line to consider carefully, though one that shrinks or disappears entirely for those who leave homeownership behind.
On safety, Downers Grove reports crime rates well below national averages, the kind of everyday security that lets you walk downtown after dark without a second thought.
Health care is one of the area's clear strengths. Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital sits within the village itself and operates DuPage County's only Level I trauma center, alongside nationally recognized cardiac and specialty care. For seniors researching where to spend their retirement, medical care of that caliber minutes from home counts for a great deal.
5. A Community Built with Retirees in Mind
Roughly 21% of Downers Grove residents are 65 or older, well above the national share. It means neighbors of a similar age, a village that plans with older residents in mind, and the comfort of arriving somewhere you're already expected.
It's also why Downers Grove has long been home to senior living options that let you keep the lifestyle that drew you here in the first place. Oak Trace, a retirement community in Downers Grove, is built around exactly that promise: the walkable downtown, the seasons, the nearby preserves, and the reassurance of on-site care available should you ever need it, all without giving up the independence and daily vibrancy of village life.
For many, that's the final piece of the decision. The city you can reach, the downtown you can walk, the community that already feels like yours, and a home equipped with the amenities and services that make life richer.
Come See Downers Grove for Yourself
The best way to understand what makes Downers Grove a standout place to retire is to spend a morning here: coffee downtown, a walk through the plaza, an event at Oak Trace.
Oak Trace has been part of this community for decades, and we'd be glad to show you around. Schedule a visit to see how Downers Grove sets the stage for an exceptional retirement.
