Is Boulder Hill Safe, Pros and cons of living in Boulder Hill

Boulder Hill, Illinois, offers a suburban lifestyle with proximity to urban amenities. This census-designated place (CDP) is situated in Oswego Township, Kendall County, and is part of the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Its location along the Fox River provides a scenic backdrop for its residents.

The community is characterized by a mix of residential areas and local businesses, aiming to provide a balanced living environment. Boulder Hill is known for its family-friendly atmosphere, with various community events and local parks contributing to its appeal. The area’s development has focused on creating a cohesive community while maintaining accessibility to larger neighboring cities.

Is it Safe to Live in Boulder Hill?

Boulder Hill is generally considered a safe community within the greater Aurora area (as reported by DoorProfit). The crime rate in Boulder Hill is 8% lower than the national average (as reported by AreaVibes). Violent crimes in Boulder Hill are 22% lower than the national average (as reported by AreaVibes).

The A- grade for safety indicates that Boulder Hill’s crime rate is lower than that of the average U.S. city (as reported by CrimeGrade.org). Boulder Hill ranks in the 81st percentile for safety, meaning it is safer than 81% of cities, but less safe than 19% (as reported by CrimeGrade.org). Your chance of being a victim of crime in Boulder Hill varies by neighborhood, ranging from 1 in 58 in the northeast neighborhoods to 1 in 78 in the southwest (as reported by CrimeGrade.org).

The violent crime rate in Boulder Hill is 1.628 per 1,000 residents in a typical year (as reported by CrimeGrade.org). Boulder Hill residents generally consider the northeast part of the city to be the safest (as reported by CrimeGrade.org). The total projected cost of crime in Boulder Hill for 2025 is $1,229,303, which translates to approximately $142 per resident (as reported by CrimeGrade.org).

Cost of Living and Housing in Boulder Hill

The overall cost of living in Boulder Hill is much lower than the national average (as reported by AreaVibes). This includes everyday goods and services, as well as housing, utilities, and healthcare. The median home value in Boulder Hill is $220,420 (as reported by Livability.com).

Home prices in Boulder Hill are now at a median cost of $189,327, which is lower than the Illinois average of $242,002 (as reported by Redfin). The home price to income ratio in Boulder Hill is 3, which is 14.3% lower than the Illinois average (as reported by AreaVibes). The average home in Boulder Hill was built in 1972 (as reported by BestNeighborhood.org).

The average cost of rent in Boulder Hill is $1,689 per month (as reported by BestNeighborhood.org). The rent-to-income ratio in the area is 30.4%, indicating what portion of earnings goes toward housing expenses (as reported by Point2Homes). The homeownership rate in Boulder Hill is 86.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2% (as reported by Data USA).

Job Market and Economy

The most common employment sectors for residents of Boulder Hill are Manufacturing, Retail Trade, and Educational Services (as reported by Data USA). From 2023 to 2024, employment in Boulder Hill grew at a rate of 2.35% (as reported by Data USA).

The most common job groups in Boulder Hill are Office & Administrative Support Occupations, Management Occupations, and Sales & Related Occupations (as reported by Data USA). The median household income in Boulder Hill was $80,377 in 2024 (as reported by Data USA). This marked a 4.47% growth from the previous year (as reported by Data USA).

While specific unemployment data for Boulder Hill is not readily available, the area’s median income suggests a healthy job market within commuting distance to Chicago (as reported by Kurby AI). The unemployment rate in Boulder County was 4.3% as of February 2026 (as reported by FRED). Major employers in the broader Boulder, Colorado area include the University of Colorado Boulder, Ball Aerospace, and IBM (as reported by Indeed.com).

Climate and Weather

In Boulder Hill, the summers are long, warm, humid, and wet, while the winters are freezing, snowy, and windy (as reported by WeatherSpark.com). Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 16°F to 84°F and is rarely below -3°F or above 91°F (as reported by WeatherSpark.com).

The average high temperature is 59°F, and the average low temperature is 40°F (as reported by Livability.com). The average annual rainfall is 38 inches, and the average annual snowfall is 29 inches (as reported by Livability.com). The month with the most rain in Boulder Hill is June, with an average of 3.8 inches (as reported by WeatherSpark.com).

The warm season lasts for approximately 4.0 months, from May 22 to September 21, with an average daily high temperature above 73°F (as reported by WeatherSpark.com). The hottest month is July, with an average high of 83°F and a low of 64°F (as reported by WeatherSpark.com). The cold season lasts for 3.0 months, from December 1 to March 3, with an average daily high temperature below 41°F (as reported by WeatherSpark.com).

Education and Schools

Boulder Hill Elementary School serves students in grades K-5 and is part of Oswego Community Unit School District No. 308 (as reported by Homes.com). The school has a student-teacher ratio of 12:1 (as reported by Homes.com).

Academic records indicate that 12% of students achieve proficiency in math and 22% are proficient in reading (as reported by Homes.com). Boulder Hill Elementary School has received a Niche grade of B- and a GreatSchools Rating of 5 out of 10 (as reported by Homes.com). It consistently ranks in the bottom half of Illinois elementary schools, with proficiency rates significantly below district and state averages (as reported by SchoolDigger).

The school’s performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, including Hispanic students, English Language Learners, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (as reported by SchoolDigger). The school also has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 20.0% to 26.3% in recent years (as reported by SchoolDigger).

Demographics

Boulder Hill is home to a population of approximately 8,989 people (as reported by Data USA). The median age in Boulder Hill is 37.6 years (as reported by Data USA). The population is distributed with about 18% under 15, 14.6% between 15 and 24, 30.2% between 25 and 44, 22.4% between 45 and 64, and 14.8% aged 65 or older (as reported by Point2Homes).

The racial makeup of Boulder Hill includes approximately 54.5% White, 43.8% Hispanic, and smaller percentages for other races and those of two or more races (as reported by Data USA). In 2024, 16.8% of Boulder Hill residents were born outside of the United States (as reported by Data USA). As of 2024, 88.2% of Boulder Hill residents were U.S. citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2% (as reported by Data USA).

The median household income in Boulder Hill was $80,377 in 2024 (as reported by Data USA). The average annual household income was $97,691 in 2024 (as reported by Point2Homes). Households led by residents aged 25 to 44 have a median income of $87,109, while those with someone aged 45 to 64 earn $97,599 overall (as reported by Point2Homes).