Is Chicago Heights, IL a Good Place to Live?
Chicago Heights is a small city of 27,366 in Illinois, with a median household income of $56,755 and a 13.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.
Strengths: Chicago Heights stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Chicago Heights is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Chicago Heights city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 102.6Chicago Heights's overall cost of living index is 102.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Chicago Heights costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Chicago Heights, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $134,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,046 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $56,755 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeChicago Heights's violent crime rate is 1232.5 per 100,000 residents — 224% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Chicago Heights is served primarily by Chicago Heights SD 170. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Chicago Heights, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Chicago Heights SD 170 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 9 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 84.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Chicago Heights sees average highs of 31.1°F in January and 83.9°F in July, with 42.1 inches of annual precipitation and 28.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Chicago Heights, IL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 31.1°F |
| Average High — July | 83.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | Chicago Heights, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,366 | — |
| Median Age | 35.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 13.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 29.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 29.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 40.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 28.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Chicago Heights
Chicago Heights, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: