City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Melrose Park, IL

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

24,513
Residents
$64,740
Median income
$265,000
Median home
$1,781
Median rent (state)

Melrose Park - the verdict

Melrose Park ranks in the 42nd percentile for household income and the 30th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

42nd
percentile, household income
59th
percentile, home value
72nd
percentile, median rent
30th
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: Melrose Park, IL

Melrose Park is a small city in Illinois, home to 24,513 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Melrose Park brings in $64,740 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.6%. Melrose Park's housing stock carries a median value of $265,000, and the median resident age is 35.0 years. About 14.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 7 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 600% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2074.9 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not 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). 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. Natural-hazard exposure scores 100.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

24,513 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$64,740 /yr

Poverty 8.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Melrose Park compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 42% higher than other cities
Home value 59% pricier than other cities
Median rent 72% pricier than other cities
Safety 30% 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, Melrose Park ranks #369 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 Melrose Park 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 places Melrose Park toward the top of Illinois's cities

Among the 1,315 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Melrose Park ranks #203 - the 84th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Melrose Park only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#714 of 1,311
46th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#17 of 1,336
77th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#203 of 1,315
84th percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#552 of 1,335
58th percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#839 of 1,336
37th 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.

42ndIncome percentile
30thSafety percentile

42nd percentile nationally for median household income · 30th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Melrose Park's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Melrose 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 36 Avg. percentile National median
Melrose 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 Melrose Park's home value compares nationally

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

$265,000 41st percentile more affordable than 41% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Melrose 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 - Melrose Park, IL Melrose Park, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Melrose 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 Melrose Park, IL median $64,740/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%
Melrose 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 Melrose Park, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.5%

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

Population
24,513
Median Income
$64,740
Median Home Value
$265,000
Median Age
35.0
Poverty Rate
8.6%
Labor force participation
62.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2074.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
304.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1770.5
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
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
23,500 residents24,000 residents24,500 residents25,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 24,660 residents 23,936 residents ▼ -2.9%
Melrose 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)
7
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 0
2021 2
2022 5
2023 1
2024 7

Permit volume increased 600% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.4%
Carpool
15.1%
Public Transit
2.2%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
4.9%
Other
0.9%

Based on 11,863 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 Melrose 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
100.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Belvidere
24,510 people
Homer Glen
24,516 people
Zion
24,466 people
Kankakee
24,384 people
Morton Grove
24,687 people
Westmont
24,201 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Melrose Park's 24,513 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pelham, AL
24,510 people
Herndon, VA
24,529 people
Kerrville, TX
24,532 people
World Golf, FL
24,485 people
Ridgeland, MS
24,548 people
Fairfax, VA
24,478 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Melrose Park's $64,740 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Mount Carmel, OH
$64,738 median income
Midway, CA
$64,735 median income
Leoti, KS
$64,732 median income
Tannersville, NY
$64,732 median income
Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY
$64,731 median income
Lincoln Park, CO
$64,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Melrose 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 Melrose Park, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 29.6% 38.5% 26.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 77.8% White 29.6% Black or African American 3.8% Asian 0.7% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 38.5% Two or more races 26.7% 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 Melrose 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
Melrose Park (this city) 24,513 $64,740
Belvidere 24,510 $62,462
Homer Glen 24,516 $128,546
Zion 24,466 $62,574
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Melrose Park, IL?

What is the population of Melrose Park, IL? +

Melrose Park, IL has a population of 24,513 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Melrose Park, the typical household earns $64,740 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Melrose Park? +

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

Melrose Park has a total crime rate of 2074.9 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Melrose Park, IL? +

Homes in Melrose Park carry a median value of $265,000, 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.