Is Prospect Heights, IL a Good Place to Live?
Prospect Heights is a small city of 15,861 in Illinois, with a median household income of $84,459 and a 5.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.
Strengths: Prospect Heights stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Prospect Heights is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Prospect 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: 102.6Prospect Heights's overall cost of living index is 102.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Prospect Heights costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Prospect Heights, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $336,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,313 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $84,459 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeProspect Heights's violent crime rate is 158.7 per 100,000 residents — 58% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Prospect Heights is served primarily by Prospect Heights SD 23. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Prospect Heights, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Prospect Heights SD 23 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 82.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Prospect Heights sees average highs of 31.9°F in January and 84.0°F in July, with 32.3 inches of annual precipitation and 38.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Prospect Heights, IL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 31.9°F |
| Average High — July | 84.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 32.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Prospect Heights, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,861 | — |
| Median Age | 41.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 26.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 68.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 22.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 7.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 17.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Prospect Heights
Prospect Heights, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: