City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Chicago Heights, IL

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

26,938
Residents
$57,479
Median income
$149,900
Median home
$1,781
Median rent (state)

Chicago Heights - the verdict

Chicago Heights ranks in the 31st percentile for household income and the 8th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

31st
percentile, household income
27th
percentile, home value
72nd
percentile, median rent
8th
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: Chicago Heights, IL

26,938 people live in Chicago Heights, Illinois - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Chicago Heights brings in $57,479 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 19.8%. Home values in Chicago Heights run a median of $149,900, and the median resident age is 35.6 years. Educational attainment runs 20.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 52.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits). Chicago Heights's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3964.8 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Illinois scores 100.0 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. 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. Workers in Chicago Heights report an average commute of 30.2 minutes, with 71.6% driving alone and 5.2% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 97.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

26,938 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$57,479 /yr

Poverty 19.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Chicago Heights compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 31% higher than other cities
Home value 27% pricier than other cities
Median rent 72% pricier than other cities
Safety 8% 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: Chicago Heights ranks #441 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Chicago Heights's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Illinois, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

31stIncome percentile
8thSafety percentile

31st percentile nationally for median household income · 8th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Chicago Heights's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Chicago 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 30 Avg. percentile National median
Chicago 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 Chicago Heights's home value compares nationally

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

$149,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 73% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $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. Chicago 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 - Chicago Heights, IL Chicago Heights, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Chicago 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 Chicago Heights, IL median $57,479/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%
Chicago 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 Chicago Heights, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.0%

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

Population
26,938
Median Income
$57,479
Median Home Value
$149,900
Median Age
35.6
Poverty Rate
19.8%
Labor force participation
52.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3964.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1232.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2732.3
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
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
26,000 residents26,500 residents27,000 residents27,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 27,377 residents 26,508 residents ▼ -3.2%
Chicago Heights's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 1
2021 1
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
30.2 minutes
Drive Alone
71.6%
Carpool
13.3%
Public Transit
5.7%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
5.2%
Other
3.9%

Based on 10,395 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 Chicago 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
97.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Oak Forest
26,888 people
Round Lake Beach
27,081 people
Vernon Hills
26,772 people
Batavia
26,730 people
Granite City
26,670 people
Edwardsville
26,543 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Chicago Heights's 26,938 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Brawley, CA
26,934 people
Temple Terrace, FL
26,922 people
Mint Hill, NC
26,954 people
Leisure, FL
26,917 people
Garden City, MI
26,910 people
Waukee, IA
26,974 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Chicago Heights's $57,479 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Citrus Springs, FL
$57,477 median income
Watervliet, MI
$57,477 median income
Fredericksburg, TX
$57,474 median income
Atlantic, IA
$57,486 median income
Gray, LA
$57,472 median income
Sac City, IA
$57,487 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Chicago 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 Chicago Heights, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 26.6% 40.3% 20.4% 11.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 37.2% White 26.6% Black or African American 40.3% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 20.4% Two or more races 11.6% 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 Chicago 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
Chicago Heights (this city) 26,938 $57,479
Oak Forest 26,888 $87,941
Round Lake Beach 27,081 $86,632
Vernon Hills 26,772 $120,625
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Chicago Heights, IL?

What is the population of Chicago Heights, IL? +

The population of Chicago Heights, IL stands at 26,938 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Chicago Heights households earn a median of $57,479 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Chicago Heights? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Chicago 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 Chicago Heights, IL safe? +

Chicago Heights has a total crime rate of 3964.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Chicago Heights, IL? +

The median home value in Chicago Heights is $149,900, 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 Editorial

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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.