Illinois, United States
Chicago
Chicago is a major city in Illinois, United States, close to the sea. It has a population of about 2,731,585 (2025). The climate is classified as hot-summer humid continental (Köppen Dfa), with warm summers, cold winters and precipitation in every season.
Now47°F
Best timeMay · Sep–Oct
Population2.73M
Local time07:52
41.85° N, 87.65° WElevation 587 ftUTC−5 · Central Daylight Time
Postal codes60454, 60601–60616 …October: high / low62° / 46°
Rain this month91mm
Sea this month58°
Best timeMay · Sep–Oct
Best: May · Sep–Oct. Warmth, sunshine and dry days, month by month.
Chicago at a glance
Sunrise · sunset07:11 · 18:0010 h 48 min of daylightThe moon tonightWaxing gibbous85% · Moonrise 16:09Northern lights tonightUnlikely tonightKp needed: 5Next holiday3 NovemberElection DayNext concert29 OctCortisa Star · Subterranean
Best time to visitMay · Sep–Oct
The months with the highest weather score
Warmest month83°F
Average high in July
Coolest month19°F
Average low in January
Wettest monthMay
113 mm of rain
Driest monthFebruary
57 mm of rain
Warmest sea73°F
August
Monuments nearby10+
within 3 km
How Chicago has grown
People living in the built-up area (2,046 km² today), every five years since 1975; 2030 is the projection.
+10%4.81M in 1975 → 5.32M in 2025Weather in Chicago
Now and the next ten days. The 14 and 30-day outlooks are one click away.
47°F
Today hour by hourSunny · wind 5 km/h · humidity 87%
Today22 Oct71°46°
Fri23 Oct68°47°
Sat24 Oct67°48°
Sun25 Oct71°50°
Mon26 Oct65°49°
Tue27 Oct62°51°
Wed28 Oct68°50°
Thu29 Oct60°43°2.9 mm
Fri30 Oct46°31°
Sat31 Oct52°32°
When to go to Chicago
Each month's weather score (warmth, sun, dry days) with its temperatures and rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 31 | 33 | 31 | 43 | 65 | 64 | 57 | 60 | 75 | 65 | 32 | 29 |
| High | 32° | 35° | 45° | 56° | 68° | 78° | 83° | 81° | 75° | 62° | 49° | 37° |
| Low | 19° | 22° | 30° | 40° | 51° | 61° | 67° | 67° | 59° | 46° | 35° | 25° |
| Rain (mm) | 59 | 57 | 71 | 97 | 113 | 113 | 110 | 116 | 90 | 91 | 90 | 66 |
| Wet days | 8 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 9 |
| Sea | 38° | 36° | 36° | 39° | 45° | 57° | 70° | 73° | 68° | 58° | 49° | 42° |
What's on in Chicago
Concerts, football matches, the public holidays ahead and the town's festivals through the year.
Chicago's festivals through the year
Monuments and museums in Chicago
2.5 km
Hull HouseBuilt 1889
2.7 km
S. R. Crown HallBuilt 1956
2.9 km
Ludington BuildingBuilt 1892
2.2 km
Second Presbyterian Church, ChicagoBuilt 1874
2.6 km
John J. Glessner HouseBuilt 1887
1.6 km
7th District Police StationBuilt 1888
Museum3.9 km
Art Institute of ChicagoBuilt 1879
Museum2 km
National Museum of Mexican ArtBuilt 1982More museums: African American Firefighters Museum · Charnley-Pesky House Museum · Chess Studio · Chicago Board of Trade Building Museum · Chicago Center for Green Technology · Children's Museum of Art and Social Justice · Color Factory · Dreihaus Gallery of Stained Glass · Fire Museum of Greater Chicago · Graveface Chicago / Terror Vision · Henry B. Clarke House · Heritage Museum of Asian Art
Outdoors around Chicago
Hiking routes from the town, and what there is to do within 15 km: huts, viewpoints, climbing, camping, ski areas and dive sites.
Riverside Golf ClubGolf courses
0.7 kmStearns QuarryViewpoints
0.7 kmBeverly Country ClubGolf courses
2.2 kmMcCormick Place Parking Lot B OverflowCamp sites
3.2 kmFirst AscentClimbing
3.3 kmShedd AquariumAquariums · 610 ft
3.6 kmLearn Scuba ChicagoDive site
8.9 kmDJ's Scuba LockerDive site
17 kmNature around Chicago
Wildlife in October
The birds and mammals of United States seen most this month, compared with the rest of their year.
The sky over Chicago
Tsunamis · Chicago
Fossil sites near this town
Fossil sites: 2 · 0 km
Silurian · 2
Formations around the town
Waukesha Dolomite · 1Racine Formation · 1
Trilobites · 4Arctinurus, Calymene, Bumastus, Kosovopeltis
Universities and research institutes
McCormick Theological SeminaryUniversity or college · founded 1829
Chicago Public SchoolsUniversity or college · founded 1837
Archdiocese of ChicagoUniversity or college · founded 1843
Saint Xavier UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1846
Shimer CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1853
University of Illinois ChicagoUniversity or college · founded 1858
School of the Art Institute of ChicagoUniversity or college · founded 1866
Chicago State UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1867
Northeastern Illinois UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1867
Loyola University ChicagoUniversity or college · founded 1870
Illinois College of OptometryUniversity or college · founded 1872
Moody Bible InstituteUniversity or college · founded 1886
National Louis UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1886
Chicago Kent College of LawUniversity or college · founded 1888
Latin School of ChicagoUniversity or college · founded 1888
Columbia College ChicagoUniversity or college · founded 1890
Illinois Institute of TechnologyUniversity or college · founded 1890
University of ChicagoUniversity or college · founded 1890
North Park UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1891
DePaul UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1898
MacCormac CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1904
VanderCook College of MusicUniversity or college · founded 1909
City Colleges of ChicagoUniversity or college · founded 1911
Malcolm X CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1911
Robert Morris University IllinoisUniversity or college · founded 1913
Resurrection UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1914
American Academy of ArtUniversity or college · founded 1923
Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and LeadershipUniversity or college · founded 1924
Meadville Lombard Theological SchoolUniversity or college · founded 1930
Harrington College of DesignUniversity or college · founded 1931
Fox CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1932
Kendall CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1934
Muhammad University of IslamUniversity or college · founded 1934
Wilbur Wright CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1934
Kennedy–King CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1935
Philip Rogers Elementary SchoolUniversity or college · founded 1937
Roosevelt UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1945
Chicago Youth Symphony OrchestrasUniversity or college · founded 1946
American Osteopathic FoundationUniversity or college · founded 1949
Adler UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1952
Harry S Truman CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1956
St. Margaret Mary SchoolUniversity or college · founded 1956
Associated Colleges of the MidwestUniversity or college · founded 1958
Center for East Asian StudiesUniversity or college · founded 1959
Richard J. Daley CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1960
Harold Washington CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1962
Lutheran School of Theology at ChicagoUniversity or college · founded 1962
Erikson InstituteUniversity or college · founded 1966
Catholic Theological UnionUniversity or college · founded 1968
Olive–Harvey CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1970
Rush UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1972
Lexington CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1977
National Society of Genetic CounselorsUniversity or college · founded 1979
The Chicago SchoolUniversity or college · founded 1979
East–West UniversityUniversity or college · founded 1980
St. Augustine CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1980
Institute for Clinical Social WorkUniversity or college · founded 1981
Pritzker Institute of Biomedical Science and EngineeringUniversity or college · founded 1982
American Islamic CollegeUniversity or college · founded 1983
Chicago Arts Partnerships in EducationUniversity or college · founded 1992
Perspectives Charter SchoolUniversity or college · founded 1993
Institute for Research on Race and Public PolicyUniversity or college · founded 1994
Building Blocks Learning AcademyUniversity or college · founded 1998
Oprah's Angel NetworkUniversity or college · founded 1998
Noble Network of Charter SchoolsUniversity or college · founded 1999
KIPP Chicago SchoolsUniversity or college · founded 2003
Toyota Technological Institute at ChicagoUniversity or college · founded 2003
Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy ResearchUniversity or college · founded 2008
Bayan Islamic Graduate SchoolUniversity or college · founded 2011
Chicago College of Oriental MedicineUniversity or college
Chicago International Charter SchoolUniversity or college
Cristo Rey NetworkUniversity or college
GCE Lab SchoolUniversity or college
Little Angels Early Childhood CenterUniversity or college
Northwestern University Settlement AssociationUniversity or college
Center for Research LibrariesResearch institute · founded 1949
Particulate Solid Research (United States)Research institute · founded 1970
Centro Comunitario Juan DiegoResearch institute · founded 1980
Reproductive Genetics InstituteResearch institute · founded 1989
Kraff Eye InstituteResearch institute · founded 1991
Towns and villages around Chicago
Each with its own page: weather, climate and the best time to visit.
Chicago from above
Around Chicago34 places to see, do and reach nearby
Chicago RiverNature3.2 miLake CalumetNature12 miCalumet River, IndianaNature10 miWolf Lake, IndianaNature14 miGrand Calumet RiverNature15 miLake George (Hammond, Indiana)Nature15 miOak Street BeachNature3.9 miGoose Island (Chicago)Nature3.7 miLearn Scuba ChicagoDive site5.5 miDJ's Scuba LockerDive site11 miHull HouseMonument1.5 miS. R. Crown HallMonument1.7 miLudington BuildingMonument1.8 miSecond Presbyterian Church, ChicagoMonument1.4 miJohn J. Glessner HouseMonument1.6 mi7th District Police StationMonument1.0 miSydney Kent HouseMonument1.5 miQuinn Chapel AME Church, ChicagoMonument1.3 miArt Institute of ChicagoMuseum2.4 miNational Museum of Mexican ArtMuseum1.3 miNational Hellenic MuseumMuseum1.9 miMuseum of Contemporary PhotographyMuseum2.1 miChinese American Museum of ChicagoMuseum0.9 miHalsted StreetStation0.7 miMcCormick PlaceStation1.7 miWestern AvenueStation1.9 miChinatownFerry port0.9 miUnion Station/Willis TowerFerry port2.1 miEvanstonPlace13 miCiceroPlace5.4 miOak ParkPlace7.3 miBerwynPlace7.4 miSkokiePlace13 miElmhurstPlace15 mi
Postal codes
6045460601–606166061960621–60624606296063260636–60637606406064260647606496065160653–606546065760661606646066660668–6067060673–6067560677–6067860680–6068260684–6069160693–606976069960701
Getting to Chicago
Chicago Midway International AirportMDW
11 kmChicago O'Hare International AirportORD
26 kmGary/Chicago International AirportGYY
33 kmHalsted StreetRailway station
1.2 kmMcCormick PlaceRailway station
2.8 kmWestern AvenueRailway station
3 kmChinatownMichigan Avenue · Ogilvie / Union (West Loop)
1.5 kmUnion Station/Willis TowerShoreline Sightseeing
3.4 kmPlaces near Chicago
Places with a climate like Chicago
Matched month by month on temperature, rain and sunshine.
95% alikeBay View
United States
63° / 46°May–Jun · Sep
94% alikeHuron
United States
63° / 46°May–Jun · Sep
93% alikeLorain
United States
63° / 47°May–Jun · Sep
95% alikeSandusky South
United States
63° / 46°May–Jun · Sep
94% alikeVermilion
United States
63° / 46°May–Jun · Sep
94% alikeCastalia
United States
63° / 46°May–Jun · Sep
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Chicago?
Based on 30-year climate normals, May, September and October offer the best balance of comfortable temperatures, low rainfall and sunshine in Chicago.
What is the hottest month in Chicago?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F and lows of 67°F.
What is the coldest month in Chicago?
January is the coldest month, with average highs of 32°F and lows of 19°F.
What is the rainiest month in Chicago?
May is the wettest month with about 4.4 in of precipitation on 13 wet days.
How warm is the sea near Chicago?
The sea is warmest in August at about 73°F and coolest in February at about 36°F.
What is the postal code of Chicago?
Chicago has 63 postal codes: 60454, 60601–60616, 60619, 60621–60624, 60629, 60632, 60636–60637, 60640, 60642, 60647, 60649, 60651 ….