About

Life in Worth

Worth is a community of 10,731 people in Illinois. The median household income is $56,288, median rent runs about $1,164 per month, and median home values are around $215,000. The unemployment rate is 4.8%.

Worth at a Glance

Population, income, housing and more

Median Age

39.4 yrs

Poverty Rate

21.1%

Foreign-Born

20.8%

Broadband Internet

79.6%

of households

Population Growth

-2.5%

recent change · Census Bureau

Median household income

Worth$56,288
Illinois avg$83,390
US$80,734

Demographics20.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico

Who lives in Worth: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin

In Worth, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (23.4%), and 13.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.

Under 18

24.0%

of residents

65 and Older

15.4%

of residents

Households with Kids

27.4%

anyone under 18

Living Alone

35.1%

of households

Married Couples

39.1%

of households

Avg Household Size

2.41

people

Race & Ethnicity

White68.7%
Hispanic or Latino20.8%
Two or more races3.5%
Black2.4%
Other0.8%

Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic

Top countries of origin (foreign-born)

Mexico23.4%
Jordan20.5%
Poland17.4%
Philippines10.1%
India4.8%
Asia, n.e.c.4.0%
Czechoslovakia (includes Czech Republic and Slovakia)3.1%
Yemen2.2%
Lithuania1.6%
Ghana1.6%

Languages Spoken at Home

English only63.1%
Spanish13.1%
Arabic10.2%
Russian/Slavic8.0%
Other Indo-European1.6%
Other Asian/Pacific1.2%
Tagalog/Filipino1.1%
Other0.8%

Cost of Livingrent 8% below IL average

Rent, home values, and income in Worth

In Worth, rent runs 8% below the IL average, and home values are 18% below the IL average.

Median rent (per month)

Worth$1,169
Illinois avg$1,274
US$1,413

Median home value

Worth$215,000
Illinois avg$263,300
US$332,700

Rent Burdened

57.6%

spending 30%+ of income on rent

Severely Rent Burdened

29.0%

spending 50%+

Cost of Living Index

103.6

metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100

Median Property Tax

$5,510

per year, owner-occupied homes

Homeowners

63.8%

of occupied homes are owned

Typical Home Built

1968

median year built

Vacant Homes

2.2%

of housing units

Home Value Trend

$210,003
$277,185
202120222023202420252026

Latest: $277,185 (September 2026)

Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IL

Unemployment in Worth and typical pay across the metro area

Unemployment in Cook County, which includes Worth, is close to the IL average.

Unemployment rate

Worth4.8%
Illinois avg4.6%
US4.3%

Worth: Cook County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average

Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend

6.2%
5.1%
4.1%
3.9%
10.7%
6.9%
5%
4.4%
5.3%
4.8%
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Cook County (county-wide) · Annual averages

Worth is less than 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

What Worth Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry

Education & health care22.3%
Transportation & utilities14.8%
Retail12.5%
Arts, hospitality & food service11.5%
Construction10.4%
Professional & business services8.6%
Manufacturing6.4%
Other services5.1%

City residents, wherever they work

Median Salary by Occupation · metro area

Management$125,280
Healthcare$81,400
Business & Finance$79,910
Education$60,950
Office & Admin$46,540
Production$43,550
Transportation$41,020
Sales$38,490

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro area

Commute28 min avg

How Worth residents get to work, and the nearest airports

In Worth, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 53% get there in under 30 minutes.

How People Get to Work

Drive alone80.3%
Carpool7.8%
Public transit0.7%
Walk2.8%
Work from home7.2%
Other1.2%

Commute Time Distribution

Under 15 min19.1%
15–29 min33.9%
30–44 min30.2%
45–59 min7.2%
60+ min9.6%

Nearest airports · with airline service

  • Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)

    Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025

    7 mi
  • Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)

    Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025

    21 mi

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 34% below national average

Crime rates for 2025

Violent crime in Worth runs 34% below the national average.

Violent Crime Rate

217.1

per 100,000 residents

Below average (329 national, 2025)

Property Crime Rate

859

per 100,000 residents

Below average (1,552 national, 2025)

Worth 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).

Cold wave · Very HighHeat wave · Very HighIce storm · Very HighLightning · Very HighInland flooding · Very High

Cook County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025

In Cook County, which includes Worth, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 55 recorded events in 2025.

Most common events:

Thunderstorm WindFloodHailFlash FloodWinter Weather

Storm events by year

YearEventsTop TypeProperty Damage
202555Flood$494.9M
202457Thunderstorm Wind$50,000
202340Thunderstorm Wind$550.0M
202251Thunderstorm Wind$3.1M
202147Thunderstorm WindNone reported
202038Thunderstorm WindNone reported
201936Flood$20,000
201827Thunderstorm 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

Worth 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 Worth, 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

Worth is less than 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Climate83°F summers, 23°F winters

30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation

Worth has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 23°F).

Spring (Mar–May)

60°/42°F

avg high / low

Summer (Jun–Aug)

83°/66°F

avg high / low

Fall (Sep–Nov)

63°/47°F

avg high / low

Winter (Dec–Feb)

36°/23°F

avg high / low

Annual Precipitation

40.3"

Annual Snowfall

38.8"

Hot Days/Year

21

days above 90°F

Freeze Days/Year

108

days below 32°F

Rainy Days/Year

127

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)
10°30°50°70°90°5"Jan: 2.30" precipitationFeb: 2.12" precipitationMar: 2.66" precipitationApr: 4.15" precipitationMay: 4.75" precipitationJun: 4.53" precipitationJul: 4.02" precipitationAug: 4.10" precipitationSep: 3.33" precipitationOct: 3.86" precipitationNov: 2.73" precipitationDec: 2.33" precipitation20°JJan: high 33°F, low 20°FFFeb: high 37°F, low 23°FMMar: high 48°F, low 32°FAApr: high 60°F, low 42°FMMay: high 72°F, low 52°FJJun: high 81°F, low 63°F85°JJul: high 85°F, low 68°FAAug: high 83°F, low 67°FSSep: high 77°F, low 59°FOOct: high 64°F, low 47°FNNov: high 50°F, low 35°FDDec: high 38°F, low 25°F
Show month-by-month table ↓
MonthHighLowPrecip
Jan33°F20°F2.30"
Feb37°F23°F2.12"
Mar48°F32°F2.66"
Apr60°F42°F4.15"
May72°F52°F4.75"
Jun81°F63°F4.53"
Jul85°F68°F4.02"
Aug83°F67°F4.10"
Sep77°F59°F3.33"
Oct64°F47°F3.86"
Nov50°F35°F2.73"
Dec38°F25°F2.33"

Healthcare

Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Worth

Uninsured

12.0%

of residents

No hospitals inside Worth's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles

Palos Community Hospital

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.7 mi away · Palos Heights

Advocate Christ Hospital & Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.8 mi away · Oak Lawn

Osf Little Company of Mary Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.6 mi away · Evergreen Park

Adult Health · vs. the typical US place

Obesity32.6%US 36.8%
Diabetes11.6%US 12.6%
High blood pressure31.6%US 37.1%
Current smoking16.1%US 15.0%
No leisure-time physical activity25.5%US 26.6%
Depression23.0%US 23.0%
Asthma10.6%US 10.7%
Routine checkup in past year75.5%US 78.2%

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.

Education12.7:1 student/teacher ratio

Schools and degree attainment in Worth

Worth's student/teacher ratio is 12.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 18.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public Schools

5

within city limits

Private Schools

0

within city limits

College Degree Rate

18.7%

adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher

Student/Teacher Ratio

12.7:1

National avg 16:1

Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year

Colleges Near Worth (within 15 miles)

University of Illinois Chicago

14.7 mi away

Public · 4-year · 22,170 students · in-state tuition $14,652 · 70% graduate · median earnings $73,666 (10 yrs after entry)

University of Chicago

12.1 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,569 students · in-state tuition $73,962 · 96% graduate · median earnings $103,872 (10 yrs after entry)

Saint Xavier University

4.2 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,096 students · in-state tuition $39,080 · 62% graduate · median earnings $64,661 (10 yrs after entry)

Illinois Institute of Technology

13 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,833 students · in-state tuition $53,398 · 75% graduate · median earnings $90,804 (10 yrs after entry)

Morton College

9.6 mi away

Public · 2-year · 2,640 students · in-state tuition $5,662 · 30% graduate · median earnings $47,728 (10 yrs after entry)

Dominican University

14.9 mi away

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, 9 mi

Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Worth

Worth has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (9 mi away).

Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas

Pullman National Historical Park

National Historical Park

9 mi away

Indiana Dunes National Park

National Park

36 mi away

Public Libraries in Worth

Worth Public Library District

6917 West 111th Street, Worth

Central library~60 hrs/week

Cities Near Worth

The closest cities within 60 miles

Planning a move to Worth?

Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.

Moving to Worth →

Worth FAQ

Is Worth, Illinois affordable?⌄

Worth's median rent is $1,169/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $56,288/year. Median home value is $215,000.

Is Worth, Illinois safe?⌄

Worth's violent crime rate was 217 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 859 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.

What is the job market like in Worth, Illinois?⌄

Cook County, which includes Worth, has an unemployment rate of 4.8%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.

What is the cost of living in Worth, Illinois?⌄

The cost of living in Worth is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,169/month and median household income is $56,288/year. The median home value is $215,000. About 58% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

How is the commute in Worth, Illinois?⌄

The average commute in Worth 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