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Living in
Mount Prospect.
About
Life in Mount Prospect
This is a solidly established suburb where people actually put down roots — the median age is 40.7 and about 55% of households are married couples, so you're looking at a family-oriented community rather than a transient area. The schools are legitimately good, spread across multiple districts, and the 2008 recognition as the best city to raise children still reflects what you'll see on the ground: stable neighborhoods, active parks, and people who've been here a while. Housing costs around $397,000 median and rents hover near $1,500, which is reasonable for the Chicago metro area, though property taxes typical of Illinois will be a factor in your budget.
Mount Prospect at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.6%
Foreign-Born
29.6%
Broadband Internet
93.9%
of households
Population Growth
-2.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics29.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Mount Prospect: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Mount Prospect, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (17.7%), and 13.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.9%
of residents
65 and Older
18.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.8%
of households
Married Couples
53.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.56
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 18% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Mount Prospect
In Mount Prospect, rent runs 18% above the IL average, and home values are 51% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,425
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
68.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1969
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $449,386 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Mount Prospect and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Mount Prospect is 1 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 Mount Prospect 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
Commute25.9 min avg
How Mount Prospect residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Mount Prospect, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 61% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 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 83% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Mount Prospect runs 83% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
56.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
794.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Mount Prospect 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 Mount Prospect, 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
Mount Prospect 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 Mount Prospect, 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
Mount Prospect 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
Mount Prospect 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
32.3"
Annual Snowfall
38.4"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
122
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
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" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Mount Prospect
Uninsured
9.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Mount Prospect's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northwest Community Hospital 1
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.8 mi away · Arlington Heights
Chicago Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 3.3 mi away · Des Plaines
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.8 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.
Education14.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Mount Prospect
Mount Prospect's student/teacher ratio is 14.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 48.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
15
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
48.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Mount Prospect (within 15 miles)
Chamberlain University-Illinois
9.4 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 14,027 students · in-state tuition $22,243 · 75% graduate · median earnings $96,897 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 9,201 students · in-state tuition $70,589 · 97% graduate · median earnings $104,255 (10 yrs after entry)
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College
10.6 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 4,372 students · in-state tuition $4,710 · 27% graduate · median earnings $47,007 (10 yrs after entry)
Northeastern Illinois University
12.6 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 3,982 students · in-state tuition $12,743 · 45% graduate · median earnings $56,278 (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 · 2,561 students · in-state tuition $40,608 · 64% graduate · median earnings $66,693 (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, 31 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Mount Prospect
Mount Prospect has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (31 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
31 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
52 mi awayPublic Libraries in Mount Prospect
Mount Prospect Public Library
10 South Emerson Street, Mount Prospect
South Branch
1711 West Algonquin Road, Mount Prospect
Cities Near Mount Prospect
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Mount Prospect?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Mount Prospect FAQ
Is Mount Prospect, Illinois affordable?⌄
Mount Prospect's median rent is $1,502/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $101,720/year. Median home value is $397,400.
Is Mount Prospect, Illinois safe?⌄
Mount Prospect's violent crime rate was 56 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 794 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Mount Prospect, Illinois?⌄
Mount Prospect has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Mount Prospect, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Mount Prospect is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,502/month and median household income is $101,720/year. The median home value is $397,400. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Mount Prospect, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Mount Prospect is 26 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