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Living in
Arlington Heights.
About
Life in Arlington Heights
If you're seriously considering Arlington Heights, you're looking at a solidly middle to upper-middle class suburb that feels stable but not particularly flashy—think families, professionals, and retirees rather than young singles or hipster culture. The median household income sits at $116,723 with a median home price around $414,500, so it's not cheap, but jobs are available with unemployment at 3.8% and good regional connections via two Metra stations for Chicago commuting. The climate here involves real winters with snow and hot, humid summers with thunderstorms, which matters if you're coming from somewhere milder.
Arlington Heights at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Foreign-Born
21.5%
Broadband Internet
95.2%
of households
Population Growth
-1.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics21.5% foreign-born, most often from Poland
Who lives in Arlington Heights: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Arlington Heights, the largest foreign-born group is from Poland (15.3%), and 10.4% of residents speak Russian/Slavic at home.
Under 18
22.6%
of residents
65 and Older
20.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.1%
of households
Married Couples
54.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.39
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 38% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Arlington Heights
In Arlington Heights, rent runs 38% above the IL average, and home values are 57% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
37.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,759
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
74.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1974
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $492,580 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Arlington Heights and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Arlington Heights is 0.8 percentage points lower than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Arlington Heights Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro area
Commute27.7 min avg
How Arlington Heights residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Arlington Heights, most residents drive alone to work (62%), and 55% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 87% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Arlington Heights runs 87% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
42.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
763.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Arlington Heights Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 55 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
100.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Cook County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Cook County, which includes Arlington Heights, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 55 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55 | Flood | $494.9M |
| 2024 | 57 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 40 | Thunderstorm Wind | $550.0M |
| 2022 | 51 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.1M |
| 2021 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 38 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 36 | Flood | $20,000 |
| 2018 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $300,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Cook County, county-wide
Arlington Heights is about 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Cook County, which includes Arlington Heights, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
53
Good Days
149
per year
Moderate Days
191
per year
Unhealthy Days
5
per year
Cook County, county-wide
Arlington Heights is about 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate82°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Arlington Heights has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.3"
Annual Snowfall
38.5"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
122
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
136
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 18°F | 1.33" |
| Feb | 36°F | 21°F | 1.28" |
| Mar | 47°F | 30°F | 1.84" |
| Apr | 58°F | 39°F | 3.31" |
| May | 70°F | 50°F | 3.76" |
| Jun | 80°F | 60°F | 3.97" |
| Jul | 84°F | 66°F | 3.15" |
| Aug | 82°F | 65°F | 3.70" |
| Sep | 75°F | 56°F | 3.04" |
| Oct | 63°F | 45°F | 3.11" |
| Nov | 49°F | 33°F | 2.15" |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 1.64" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Northwest Community Hospital 1
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Chicago Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 6.4 mi away · Des Plaines
Alexian Brothers Medical Center 1
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.6 mi away · Elk Grove Village
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.8 mi away · Park Ridge
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights's student/teacher ratio is 13.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 60.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
21
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
60.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Arlington Heights (within 15 miles)
Chamberlain University-Illinois
10.5 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 14,027 students · in-state tuition $22,243 · 75% graduate · median earnings $96,897 (10 yrs after entry)
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College
13.8 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 4,372 students · in-state tuition $4,710 · 27% graduate · median earnings $47,007 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,006 students · in-state tuition $45,858 · 72% graduate · median earnings $67,398 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,813 students · in-state tuition $58,902 · 76% graduate · median earnings $70,470 (10 yrs after entry)
Worsham College of Mortuary Science
4.6 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 183 students · in-state tuition $20,500 · 88% graduate · median earnings $61,393 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 123 students · 57% graduate · median earnings $67,642 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 34 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (34 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
34 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
55 mi awayPublic Libraries in Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights Memorial Library
500 North Dunton Avenue, Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights Memorial Library Makerplace
112 North Belmont Avenue, Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights Senior Center Branch
1801 West Central Road, Arlington Heights
Cities Near Arlington Heights
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Arlington Heights?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Arlington Heights FAQ
Is Arlington Heights, Illinois affordable?⌄
Arlington Heights's median rent is $1,760/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $116,723/year. Median home value is $414,500.
Is Arlington Heights, Illinois safe?⌄
Arlington Heights's violent crime rate was 43 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 764 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Arlington Heights, Illinois?⌄
Arlington Heights has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Arlington Heights, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Arlington Heights is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,760/month and median household income is $116,723/year. The median home value is $414,500. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Arlington Heights, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Arlington Heights is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from