City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Highland Park, IL

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

30,229
Residents
$161,875
Median income
$594,400
Median home
$1,781
Median rent (state)

Highland Park - the verdict

Nationally, Highland Park sits in the 96th percentile for household income and the 70th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

96th
percentile, household income
89th
percentile, home value
72nd
percentile, median rent
70th
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 Park, IL

Illinois's Highland Park is a small city, with 30,229 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Highland Park brings in $161,875 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.2%. Highland Park's housing stock carries a median value of $594,400, and the median resident age is 46.0 years. Educational attainment runs 76.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 62.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 91 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 60% from five years earlier. Highland Park reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 861.1 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below 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: the state registers 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,781 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $240 across Illinois, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Highland Park workers runs 21.0 minutes, with 62.2% driving alone and 25.2% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 96.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

30,229 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$161,875 /yr

Poverty 1.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Highland Park compare to other US cities?

Here's how Highland Park stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 96% higher than other cities
Home value 89% pricier than other cities
Median rent 72% pricier than other cities
Safety 70% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Illinois alone, Highland Park ranks #204 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Highland Park 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 is Highland Park's strongest outlier among Illinois cities

Among the 1,336 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Highland Park ranks #18 - the 99th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Highland Park only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#35 of 1,311
97th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#17 of 1,336
77th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#31 of 1,315
98th percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#1,193 of 1,335
10th percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#18 of 1,336
99th 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.

96thIncome percentile
70thSafety percentile

96th percentile nationally for median household income · 70th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Highland Park's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Highland Park'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 62 Avg. percentile National median
Highland Park'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 Park's home value compares nationally

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

$594,400 11th percentile more affordable than 11% 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%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Park $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 Park, IL Highland Park, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Highland Park, 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 Park, IL median $161,875/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 Park, 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 Park, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 76.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.2%

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

Population
30,229
Median Income
$161,875
Median Home Value
$594,400
Median Age
46.0
Poverty Rate
1.2%
Labor force participation
62.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
76.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
861.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
49.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
811.6
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
10
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
30,000 residents30,200 residents30,400 residents30,600 residents30,800 residents31,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 30,159 residents 30,767 residents ▲ +2.0%
Highland Park's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
91
housing units authorized
Single-Family
22
detached homes
Multifamily
69
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 57
2020 77
2021 95
2022 107
2023 87
2024 91

Permit volume increased 60% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.0 minutes
Drive Alone
62.2%
Carpool
2.7%
Public Transit
6.3%
Walk
2.4%
Work from Home
25.2%
Other
1.2%

Based on 14,591 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 Park 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

Niles
30,262 people
Gurnee
30,486 people
Algonquin
29,904 people
North Chicago
30,772 people
Galesburg
29,653 people
Lake in the Hills
28,853 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Highland Park's 30,229 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Middletown, NY
30,227 people
Austintown, OH
30,215 people
Morgantown, WV
30,273 people
Granger, IN
30,279 people
Newark, DE
30,309 people
Brownsburg, IN
30,310 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Highland Park's $161,875 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Mahinahina, HI
$161,875 median income
Olde Stockdale, CA
$161,923 median income
Mount Hermon, CA
$161,821 median income
Glenmoore, PA
$161,818 median income
Kings Park West, VA
$162,007 median income
Stony Brook, NY
$162,054 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Highland Park, 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 Park, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.5% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.0% White 82.5% Black or African American 1.6% Asian 3.2% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.3% Two or more races 7.6% 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 Highland Park 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 Park (this city) 30,229 $161,875
Niles 30,262 $78,563
Gurnee 30,486 $121,410
Algonquin 29,904 $131,753
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Highland Park, IL?

What is the population of Highland Park, IL? +

30,229 people live in Highland Park, IL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Highland Park, the typical household earns $161,875 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Highland Park? +

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

Highland Park has a total crime rate of 861.1 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 Park, IL? +

Homes in Highland Park carry a median value of $594,400, 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.