City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Highland, IL

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

10,268
Residents
$77,886
Median income
$185,800
Median home
$1,218
Median rent (state)

Highland - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Highland places in the 59th percentile for household income and the 75th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

59th
percentile, household income
38th
percentile, home value
38th
percentile, median rent
75th
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: Highland, IL

Illinois's Highland is a small town, with 10,268 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Highland households earn a median of $77,886 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.1%. Highland's housing stock carries a median value of $185,800, and the median resident age is 42.1 years. 31.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 65.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 17 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 85% from five years earlier. Highland reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 734.8 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: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Illinois at 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,218 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Illinois run around $240, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 93.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

10,268 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$77,886 /yr

Poverty 3.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Highland compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 59% higher than other cities
Home value 38% pricier than other cities
Median rent 38% pricier than other cities
Safety 75% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Illinois, Highland ranks #174 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Illinois-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Highland toward the top of Illinois's cities

Among the 1,336 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Highland ranks #289 - the 78th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Highland only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#434 of 1,311
67th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#378 of 1,336
65th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#387 of 1,315
71st percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#1,011 of 1,335
24th percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#289 of 1,336
78th 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.

59thIncome percentile
75thSafety percentile

59th percentile nationally for median household income · 75th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Highland's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Highland'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 65 Avg. percentile National median
Highland'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 Highland's home value compares nationally

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

$185,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 62% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Highland $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 - Highland, IL Highland, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Highland, 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 Highland, IL median $77,886/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%
Highland, 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 Highland, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.6%

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

Population
10,268
Median Income
$77,886
Median Home Value
$185,800
Median Age
42.1
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Labor force participation
65.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
734.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
130.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
603.9
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
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,020 residents10,040 residents10,060 residents10,080 residents10,100 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,077 residents 10,042 residents ▼ -0.3%
Highland's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
17
housing units authorized
Single-Family
17
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 110
2020 28
2021 27
2022 12
2023 23
2024 17

Permit volume decreased 85% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.9%
Carpool
5.2%
Public Transit
0.9%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
10.1%
Other
1.1%

Based on 5,423 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 Highland sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,218/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
93.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Manhattan
10,315 people
Wood River
10,315 people
Lyons
10,391 people
River Grove
10,482 people
Riverdale
10,515 people
Winfield
9,982 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Highland's 10,268 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Meridianville, AL
10,268 people
Yazoo City, MS
10,270 people
Alpine, UT
10,272 people
Loudonville, NY
10,274 people
Carroll, IA
10,261 people
Woodlyn, PA
10,276 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Highland's $77,886 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Baldwin, PA
$77,882 median income
Indian Hills, NV
$77,881 median income
Woodland Park, NE
$77,880 median income
Montrose Manor, PA
$77,898 median income
Modesto, CA
$77,899 median income
Maeser, UT
$77,873 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Highland, 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 Highland, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.2% White 92.3% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 3.4% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 4.0% 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 Highland 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
Highland (this city) 10,268 $77,886
Manhattan 10,315 $128,375
Wood River 10,315 $65,960
Lyons 10,391 $64,209
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Highland, IL?

What is the population of Highland, IL? +

10,268 people live in Highland, IL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Highland, IL? +

Highland households earn a median of $77,886 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Highland? +

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

Highland has a total crime rate of 734.8 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 Highland, IL? +

The median home value in Highland is $185,800, 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.