City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Palatine, IL

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

66,548
Residents
$95,950
Median income
$347,900
Median home
$1,781
Median rent (state)

Palatine - the verdict

Palatine ranks in the 75th percentile for household income and the 63rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

75th
percentile, household income
72nd
percentile, home value
72nd
percentile, median rent
63rd
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: Palatine, IL

66,548 people live in Palatine, Illinois - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $95,950 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 7.6%. Typical homes in Palatine are valued around $347,900, and the median resident age is 39.6 years. Educational attainment runs 49.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 69.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 5 residential building permits were authorized in Palatine (Construction Slowdown), down 92% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Palatine reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1008.4 in FBI UCR data, below 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: the state registers 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,781 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Illinois run around $240, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 23.0 minutes, with 70.7% driving alone and 18.0% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

66,548 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$95,950 /yr

Poverty 7.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Palatine compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 75% higher than other cities
Home value 72% pricier than other cities
Median rent 72% pricier than other cities
Safety 63% 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, Palatine ranks #248 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 Palatine 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 is Palatine's strongest outlier among Illinois cities

Among the 1,315 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Palatine ranks #102 - the 92nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Palatine only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#252 of 1,311
81st percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#17 of 1,336
77th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#102 of 1,315
92nd percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#636 of 1,335
52nd percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#112 of 1,336
92nd 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.

75thIncome percentile
63rdSafety percentile

75th percentile nationally for median household income · 63rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Palatine's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Palatine'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 55 Avg. percentile National median
Palatine'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 Palatine's home value compares nationally

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

$347,900 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Palatine $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 - Palatine, IL Palatine, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Palatine, 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 Palatine, IL median $95,950/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%
Palatine, 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 Palatine, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 49.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.1%

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

Population
66,548
Median Income
$95,950
Median Home Value
$347,900
Median Age
39.6
Poverty Rate
7.6%
Labor force participation
69.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
49.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1008.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
67.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
941.2
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
14
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
65,000 residents66,000 residents67,000 residents68,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 67,663 residents 65,842 residents ▼ -2.7%
Palatine's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 62
2020 7
2021 6
2022 11
2023 64
2024 5

Permit volume decreased 92% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.0 minutes
Drive Alone
70.7%
Carpool
5.9%
Public Transit
2.3%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
18.0%
Other
1.6%

Based on 36,310 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 Palatine 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

Skokie
66,427 people
Decatur
70,368 people
Des Plaines
59,408 people
Bolingbrook
73,813 people
Orland Park
57,961 people
Oak Lawn
57,098 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Palatine's 66,548 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Idaho Falls, ID
66,672 people
Union City, NJ
66,375 people
Sammamish, WA
66,375 people
Queen Creek, AZ
66,369 people
Alpharetta, GA
66,355 people
Davis, CA
66,801 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Palatine's $95,950 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

McQueeney, TX
$95,950 median income
Jackson, WI
$95,960 median income
Simms, MT
$95,938 median income
Davey, NE
$95,938 median income
Kempton, PA
$95,938 median income
Laurel Lake, PA
$95,938 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Palatine, 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 Palatine, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 62.8% 13.0% 11.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.3% White 62.8% Black or African American 5.4% Asian 13.0% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.7% Some other race 11.6% Two or more races 6.0% 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 Palatine 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
Palatine (this city) 66,548 $95,950
Skokie 66,427 $93,550
Decatur 70,368 $50,809
Des Plaines 59,408 $94,303
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Palatine, IL?

What is the population of Palatine, IL? +

Palatine, IL counts 66,548 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Palatine households earn a median of $95,950 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Palatine? +

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

Palatine has a total crime rate of 1008.4 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 Palatine, IL? +

Homes in Palatine carry a median value of $347,900, 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

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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.