City comparison
Des Plaines, IL is about 20 miles (40 km) from Oak Lawn, IL in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 29 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Des Plaines, IL to Oak Lawn, IL takes about 3 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Des Plaines has a population of 60,087, vs 57,665 in Oak Lawn — about the same size. By land area, Des Plaines covers about 14 sq mi vs 8.6 sq mi for Oak Lawn.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Des Plaines | Oak Lawn | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,300/mo | $1,285/mo | 1.2% higher in Des Plaines |
| Median home value | $304,100 | $250,900 | 21.2% higher in Des Plaines |
| Median household income | $86,552 | $77,221 | 12.1% higher in Des Plaines |
| Groceries index | 106.3 | 106.3 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 84.3 | 84.3 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 100.2 | 100.2 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 100.4 | 100.4 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Des Plaines, you'd need $99,962 in Oak Lawn to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Des Plaines and Oak Lawn have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Des Plaines, you'd need about $79,969 in Oak Lawn to keep the same standard of living.