City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Niles, IL

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

30,262
Residents
$78,563
Median income
$350,900
Median home
$1,781
Median rent (state)

Niles - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Niles lands in the 60th percentile for household income and the 26th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

60th
percentile, household income
72nd
percentile, home value
72nd
percentile, median rent
26th
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: Niles, IL

Niles is a small city in Illinois, home to 30,262 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $78,563 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.9%. Home values in Niles run a median of $350,900, and the median resident age is 47.6 years. About 39.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 54.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 232 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 9999% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2278.4 crimes per 100,000 residents, near 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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,781 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Illinois run around $240, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Niles report an average commute of 25.9 minutes, with 71.0% driving alone and 9.9% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

30,262 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$78,563 /yr

Poverty 5.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Niles compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 60% higher than other cities
Home value 72% pricier than other cities
Median rent 72% pricier than other cities
Safety 26% 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, Niles ranks #384 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

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 Niles'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.

60thIncome percentile
26thSafety percentile

60th percentile nationally for median household income · 26th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Niles's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Niles'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 38 Avg. percentile National median
Niles'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 Niles's home value compares nationally

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

$350,900 28th percentile more affordable than 28% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Niles $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 - Niles, IL Niles, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Niles, 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 Niles, IL median $78,563/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%
Niles, 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 Niles, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 39.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.1%

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

Population
30,262
Median Income
$78,563
Median Home Value
$350,900
Median Age
47.6
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Labor force participation
54.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
39.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2278.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
55.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2223.4
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 →
29,500 residents30,000 residents30,500 residents31,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 30,813 residents 30,443 residents ▼ -1.2%
Niles's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
232
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
228
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 0
2021 3
2022 0
2023 3
2024 232

Permit volume increased 9999% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.9 minutes
Drive Alone
71.0%
Carpool
11.7%
Public Transit
4.6%
Walk
0.4%
Work from Home
9.9%
Other
2.4%

Based on 13,439 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 Niles 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

Highland Park
30,229 people
Gurnee
30,486 people
Algonquin
29,904 people
North Chicago
30,772 people
Galesburg
29,653 people
Mundelein
31,632 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Niles's 30,262 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

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

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Niles's $78,563 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Trenton, MI
$78,565 median income
Lily Lake, WI
$78,558 median income
Shiloh, GA
$78,571 median income
Snow Shoe, PA
$78,571 median income
Grandville, MI
$78,551 median income
Enfield, NH
$78,583 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Niles, 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 Niles, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 64.4% 20.4% 7.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14.0% White 64.4% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 20.4% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.4% Two or more races 7.7% 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 Niles 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
Niles (this city) 30,262 $78,563
Highland Park 30,229 $161,875
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 Niles, IL?

What is the population of Niles, IL? +

Niles, IL has a population of 30,262 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Niles is $78,563 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Niles? +

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

Niles has a total crime rate of 2278.4 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 Niles, IL? +

A typical home in Niles is worth $350,900, 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.