City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Arlington Heights, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Arlington Heights - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

76,220
Residents
$118,532
Median income
$403,200
Median home
$1,781
Median rent (state)

Arlington Heights - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Arlington Heights lands in the 87th percentile for household income and the 67th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

87th
percentile, household income
78th
percentile, home value
72nd
percentile, median rent
67th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Arlington Heights, IL

Illinois's Arlington Heights is a small city, with 76,220 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $118,532 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.2%. Typical homes in Arlington Heights are valued around $403,200, and the median resident age is 42.7 years. About 60.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 65.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 321 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 435% from five years earlier. Arlington Heights reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 930.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,781 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Illinois run around $240, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Arlington Heights workers runs 21.8 minutes, with 64.2% driving alone and 22.5% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

76,220 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$118,532 /yr

Poverty 5.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Arlington Heights compare to other US cities?

Where Arlington Heights sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 87% higher than other cities
Home value 78% pricier than other cities
Median rent 72% pricier than other cities
Safety 67% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Illinois and the picture shifts: Arlington Heights ranks #226 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Arlington Heights against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Arlington Heights's strongest outlier among Illinois cities

Among the 1,315 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Arlington Heights ranks #66 - the 95th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Arlington Heights only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#118 of 1,311
91st percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#17 of 1,336
77th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#66 of 1,315
95th percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#823 of 1,335
38th percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#63 of 1,336
95th percentile in Illinois

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Illinois only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

87thIncome percentile
67thSafety percentile

87th percentile nationally for median household income · 67th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Arlington Heights's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Arlington Heights's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 60 Avg. percentile National median
Arlington Heights's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Arlington Heights's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$403,200 22nd percentile more affordable than 22% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Arlington Heights $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Arlington Heights, IL Arlington Heights, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Arlington Heights, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Arlington Heights, IL median $118,532/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Arlington Heights, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Arlington Heights, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 60.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
76,220
Median Income
$118,532
Median Home Value
$403,200
Median Age
42.7
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Labor force participation
65.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
60.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
930.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
50.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
879.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
13
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
74,000 residents75,000 residents76,000 residents77,000 residents78,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 77,413 residents 76,216 residents ▼ -1.5%
Arlington Heights's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
321
housing units authorized
Single-Family
20
detached homes
Multifamily
301
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 60
2020 42
2021 105
2022 23
2023 30
2024 321

Permit volume increased 435% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.8 minutes
Drive Alone
64.2%
Carpool
6.0%
Public Transit
4.8%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
22.5%
Other
1.2%

Based on 38,732 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Arlington Heights sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,781/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Evanston
76,552 people
Schaumburg
76,780 people
Bolingbrook
73,813 people
Bloomington
78,703 people
Decatur
70,368 people
Cicero
83,223 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Arlington Heights's 76,220 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cheektowaga, NY
76,251 people
Flagstaff, AZ
76,333 people
Rochester Hills, MI
76,086 people
Scranton, PA
76,074 people
Southfield, MI
76,025 people
Doral, FL
76,490 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Arlington Heights's $118,532 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Arlington Heights, WA
$118,529 median income
Wethersfield, CT
$118,523 median income
Palo Cedro, CA
$118,542 median income
Farmington, MN
$118,556 median income
Laotto, IN
$118,500 median income
New Hamburg, NY
$118,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Arlington Heights, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Arlington Heights, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 76.4% 9.6% 7.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.7% White 76.4% Black or African American 3.0% Asian 9.6% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.9% Two or more races 7.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Arlington Heights compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Arlington Heights (this city) 76,220 $118,532
Evanston 76,552 $95,766
Schaumburg 76,780 $94,690
Bolingbrook 73,813 $107,552
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Arlington Heights, IL?

What is the population of Arlington Heights, IL? +

Arlington Heights, IL counts 76,220 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Arlington Heights, IL? +

Median annual household income in Arlington Heights runs $118,532, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Arlington Heights? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Arlington Heights; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

Is Arlington Heights, IL safe? +

Arlington Heights has a total crime rate of 930.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Arlington Heights, IL? +

Arlington Heights's median home value sits at $403,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.