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Living in
Palatine.
About
Life in Palatine
Living in Palatine means settling into a quiet, family-oriented suburb where most people own homes and many work in or around Chicago. The median home value sits around $356,000 with median rent at $1,549, making it accessible but not cheap—you're paying for proximity to the city and solid schools. The commute averages 28 minutes, which is manageable if you're heading downtown via the Metra station, though you'll definitely need a car for most daily activities.
Palatine at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.2%
Foreign-Born
24.2%
Broadband Internet
95.6%
of households
Population Growth
-3.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics24.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Palatine: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Palatine, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (24.6%), and 16.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.9%
of residents
65 and Older
16.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.2%
of households
Married Couples
47.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.42
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 22% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Palatine
In Palatine, rent runs 22% above the IL average, and home values are 35% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,025
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
67.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1977
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $389,955 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Palatine and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Palatine is 0.7 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 Palatine 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 Palatine residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Palatine, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 57% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 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 74% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Palatine runs 74% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
85.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
703.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Palatine 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 Palatine, 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
Palatine 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 Palatine, 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
Palatine is about 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate79°F summers, 17°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Palatine has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and very cold winters (avg low 17°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
32°/17°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.3"
Annual Snowfall
38.5"
Hot Days/Year
6
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
137
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
136
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 13°F | 2.07" |
| Feb | 33°F | 16°F | 1.90" |
| Mar | 45°F | 27°F | 2.35" |
| Apr | 58°F | 37°F | 3.95" |
| May | 69°F | 48°F | 5.15" |
| Jun | 78°F | 58°F | 4.60" |
| Jul | 81°F | 63°F | 4.02" |
| Aug | 79°F | 61°F | 4.58" |
| Sep | 72°F | 54°F | 3.65" |
| Oct | 60°F | 42°F | 3.39" |
| Nov | 46°F | 30°F | 2.58" |
| Dec | 34°F | 20°F | 2.19" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Palatine
Uninsured
7.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Palatine's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northwest Community Hospital 1
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.3 mi away · Arlington Heights
Alexian Brothers Behavioral Hlth Hosp
Psychiatric · 6.4 mi away · Hoffman Estates
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.6 mi away · Barrington
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.
Education14.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Palatine
Palatine's student/teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 51.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
51.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Palatine (within 15 miles)
Chamberlain University-Illinois
11.5 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 14,027 students · in-state tuition $22,243 · 75% graduate · median earnings $96,897 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,813 students · in-state tuition $58,902 · 76% graduate · median earnings $70,470 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 708 students · in-state tuition $31,810 · 50% graduate · median earnings $59,095 (10 yrs after entry)
Worsham College of Mortuary Science
6.4 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, 37 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Palatine
Palatine has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (37 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
37 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
59 mi awayPublic Libraries in Palatine
Palatine Public Library District
700 North North Court, Palatine
Rand Road Branch
1585 Rand Road, Palatine
Cities Near Palatine
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Palatine?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Palatine FAQ
Is Palatine, Illinois affordable?⌄
Palatine's median rent is $1,549/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $97,819/year. Median home value is $355,600.
Is Palatine, Illinois safe?⌄
Palatine's violent crime rate was 85 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 704 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Palatine, Illinois?⌄
Palatine has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Palatine, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Palatine is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,549/month and median household income is $97,819/year. The median home value is $355,600. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Palatine, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Palatine 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