Chicago Heights, IL
Census place 1714026 · pop 26,736
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
1232 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-10.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
2.64% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
26.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
18.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
54 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2740 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.49 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
30 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
11 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$54,798 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
31.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
87.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
20.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
38.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
14.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
63.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,498/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$161,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
Frequently asked
- Is Chicago Heights, IL a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Chicago Heights scores 26/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost and its weakest is violent crime rate. Illinois overall ranks #39 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Chicago Heights, IL?
- Chicago Heights reports 1232 violent crimes per 100k and 2740 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Chicago Heights, IL expensive to live in?
- Chicago Heights has a median home value of $161,000 and typical rent around $1,498/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Chicago Heights, IL?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (1232/100k) — 2/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Chicago Heights, IL best at?
- Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($161,000) — 82/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.
