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Living in
Park Ridge.
About
Life in Park Ridge
Park Ridge offers the stability and proximity to Chicago that many suburban families want, without feeling disconnected from the city—you're just 15 minutes to O'Hare and have solid Metra rail access downtown via the Union Pacific Northwest Line. The median home value around $551,200 reflects a stable, affluent suburb where about 61% of households are married couples and the median age skews slightly older at 44 years. You'll find good schools through Park Ridge-Niles School District 64, and the community has a genuine neighborhood feel with tree-lined streets and established institutions like the Pickwick Theatre.
Park Ridge at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
44.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
2.9%
Foreign-Born
15.1%
Broadband Internet
94.2%
of households
Population Growth
-3.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics15.1% foreign-born, most often from Poland
Who lives in Park Ridge: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Park Ridge, the largest foreign-born group is from Poland (28.8%), and 9.4% of residents speak Russian/Slavic at home.
Under 18
24.7%
of residents
65 and Older
20.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.0%
of households
Married Couples
59.9%
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 21% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Park Ridge
In Park Ridge, rent runs 21% above the IL average, and home values are 109% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
84.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1960
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $593,000 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Park Ridge and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Park Ridge is 0.9 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 Park Ridge 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
Commute29.1 min avg
How Park Ridge residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Park Ridge, most residents drive alone to work (59%), and 55% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 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 91% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Park Ridge runs 91% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
28.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
683.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Park Ridge 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 Park Ridge, 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
Park Ridge is less than 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 Park Ridge, 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
Park Ridge is less than 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate82°F summers, 22°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Park Ridge has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 22°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/22°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.3"
Annual Snowfall
38.4"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
121
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
126
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 19°F | 1.99" |
| Feb | 36°F | 22°F | 1.97" |
| Mar | 47°F | 31°F | 2.45" |
| Apr | 59°F | 40°F | 3.75" |
| May | 71°F | 51°F | 4.49" |
| Jun | 80°F | 61°F | 4.10" |
| Jul | 85°F | 66°F | 3.71" |
| Aug | 83°F | 65°F | 4.25" |
| Sep | 76°F | 57°F | 3.19" |
| Oct | 63°F | 45°F | 3.43" |
| Nov | 48°F | 34°F | 2.42" |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 2.11" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Park Ridge
Park Ridge has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Amita Health Resurrection Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.3 mi away · Chicago
Chicago Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 2.8 mi away · Des Plaines
Chicago Read Mental Health Center
Psychiatric · 4.5 mi away · Chicago
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.
Education14.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Park Ridge
Park Ridge's student/teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 66.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
66.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Park Ridge (within 15 miles)
University of Illinois Chicago
13.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 22,170 students · in-state tuition $14,652 · 70% graduate · median earnings $73,666 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 14,090 students · in-state tuition $47,676 · 68% graduate · median earnings $75,602 (10 yrs after entry)
Chamberlain University-Illinois
10.9 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 · 11,737 students · in-state tuition $56,060 · 72% graduate · median earnings $78,431 (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)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,368 students · in-state tuition $37,344 · 54% graduate · median earnings $48,427 (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, 25 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Park Ridge
Park Ridge has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (25 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
25 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
46 mi awayPublic Libraries in Park Ridge
Park Ridge Public Library
20 South Prospect Avenue, Park Ridge
Cities Near Park Ridge
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Park Ridge?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Park Ridge FAQ
Is Park Ridge, Illinois affordable?⌄
Park Ridge's median rent is $1,537/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $142,986/year. Median home value is $551,200.
Is Park Ridge, Illinois safe?⌄
Park Ridge's violent crime rate was 29 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 684 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Park Ridge, Illinois?⌄
Park Ridge has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Park Ridge, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Park Ridge is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,537/month and median household income is $142,986/year. The median home value is $551,200. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Park Ridge, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Park Ridge is 29 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