Prospect Heights, IL

Census place 1762016 · pop 15,618

D−48/ 100
🫤 Rough
D
in IL
📍 Illinois ranks #39 of 50 states →
🏆 Mental13.6% · top 10%
🚽 Disaster100/100 · bottom 8%
Taxes
2.10% property · US 0.99%8.96% sales · US 7.00%4.95% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1008

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.

Property-tax burden2.10%9

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

2.10% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Population growth (5yr)-3.2%14

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-3.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Air quality (AQI)County-level54 AQI14

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.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level11 days19

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.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.5%21

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.

Uninsured adults11.9%32

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

11.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Commute time26 min36

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

26 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Housing cost$346,50038

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$346,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Broadband access90.7%43

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

90.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Rent$1,753/mo50

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,753/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Homeownership66.8%58

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

66.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Income inequality0.4258

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.42 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Violent crime rate159/100k58

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

159 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Median household income$85,00862

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$85,008 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Bachelor's degree or higher41.3%71

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

41.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poverty rate7.3%73

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

7.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Physical inactivity20.6%75

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

20.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Property crime rate648/100k77

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

648 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Adult smoking9.8%81

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

9.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Adult obesity27.0%87

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

27.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Poor mental health13.6%90

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

13.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Frequently asked

Is Prospect Heights, IL a good place to live?
By the numbers, Prospect Heights scores 48/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is poor mental health and its weakest is natural disaster risk. 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 Prospect Heights, IL?
Prospect Heights reports 159 violent crimes per 100k and 648 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Prospect Heights, IL expensive to live in?
Prospect Heights has a median home value of $346,500 and typical rent around $1,753/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Prospect Heights, IL?
Its weakest measured area is natural disaster risk (100/100) — 8/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Prospect Heights, IL best at?
Its strongest measured area is poor mental health (13.6%) — 90/100, 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.