top of page

While You Were Watching Morton Grove, the Western Suburbs Made Their Move

  • Writer: The Biggest News Jason Rosenberg
    The Biggest News Jason Rosenberg
  • 13 hours ago
  • 4 min read

Last week we counted down the Chicagoland towns posting eye-popping price gains — Morton Grove's 14.8% growth spurt, Park Ridge's 13.5% victory lap. (Missed it? Read "Your Suburb Just Got 13% More Expensive" first.)

But while the north and northwest suburbs were hogging the headlines, DuPage County quietly put together its own highlight reel. The June 2026 numbers for the western suburbs are in, and if you own a home out west — or you've been circling one on Zillow at 11 p.m. — you're going to want to see this.

The Western Suburbs Leaderboard (June 2026, detached single-family homes, year-over-year)

Westmont — Up 11.1%. The surprise champion. Westmont has spent years being the suburb people drive through on Ogden Avenue on their way to somewhere pricier. Not anymore. Double-digit appreciation means buyers finally figured out what locals already knew: you get Downers Grove adjacency without the Downers Grove price tag. That window is closing fast.

Wheaton — Up 10.5%. Wheaton doing Wheaton things. Great schools, a downtown that actually functions, and a Metra line straight to Ogilvie. A 10.5% jump isn't a fluke — it's what happens when a suburb checks every box on a family's list and inventory stays tight.

Elmhurst — Up 9.5%. Elmhurst has been one of the most consistent performers in the entire metro for years, and June kept the streak alive. If appreciation were a Cubs lineup, Elmhurst is the guy quietly hitting .300 every single season while everyone argues about the flashier names.

Downers Grove — Up 9.5%. Detached homes hit $575,000, tied with Elmhurst for the gain. Downers Grove made a cameo in last week's post, and it earns its spot again — walkable downtown, express Metra trains, and buyers who keep showing up with strong offers.

Glen Ellyn — Up 8.9%. Just shy of the 9% club, but nobody in Glen Ellyn is complaining. Lake Ellyn, the historic downtown, Glenbard West looking like it belongs in a movie (because it's literally been in movies) — this is the kind of suburb that appreciates in every market.

Lombard — Up 5.8%. The Lilac Village posted a steady 5.8% gain, which is the sweet spot for a market that's still relatively accessible compared to its pricier DuPage neighbors. Solid equity growth for owners, and still a realistic entry point for buyers who got priced out of Elmhurst.

Villa Park and West Chicago rounded out the group with more moderate gains — the kind of steady, sustainable climb that doesn't make headlines but does build equity year after year.

And Naperville? Flat. Holding at a $700,000 average sale price. Before anyone panics: Naperville isn't cooling, it's cruising. When you're already the biggest name in the western suburbs, "steady at $700K" is the housing market equivalent of resting on a comfortable lead.

Why the West Is Winning

Three things are driving this:

Inventory is still scarce. Metro-wide forecasts called for roughly 4–5% appreciation in 2026, driven by persistently low inventory. The western suburbs posting 9–11% aren't defying gravity — they're just where demand is most concentrated relative to what's actually for sale.

Relative value is real. Westmont at 11.1% and Lombard at 5.8% tell the same story from different angles: buyers priced out of the marquee towns are moving one suburb over, and they're bringing competition with them.

The trains matter. Notice a pattern? Westmont, Downers Grove, Elmhurst, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Lombard — every one of them sits on the BNSF or UP-West Metra line. In 2026, a walkable downtown with a train station is the closest thing suburban real estate has to a cheat code.

What This Means for You

If you own in the western suburbs: your equity did more work last year than most savings accounts do in five. If you've been on the fence about selling, this is the market you've been waiting for — strong prices, motivated buyers, and not enough homes to go around.

If you're buying: the data says waiting is expensive. A house in Westmont that appreciated 11.1% last year didn't get cheaper while you thought it over.

Sell Into This Market Without Handing Over 5-6%

Here's the part where the math gets fun. If you sell a $575,000 Downers Grove home with a traditional listing agent, you could pay around $14,000–$17,000 just on the listing side. With The Rosenberg Group's 1.25% listing commission, that same sale costs you roughly $7,200 — same MLS exposure, same professional marketing, same 24 years of negotiating experience, about half the fee.

And with our Zero Commission Clause, if you find your own buyer, you pay us nothing. Plus you can cancel anytime. In a market this hot, keeping more of your appreciation shouldn't be complicated.

Thinking about making a move in the western suburbs — or anywhere in Chicagoland? Call or text me at 312.882.9797.

Jason Rosenberg | The Rosenberg Group at Infiniti Properties

Sources

 
 
 

JRR

BLOG
ABOUT
CONTACT

  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Don't miss the fun.

Thanks for submitting!

​

bottom of page