The Town FilesArlington Heights, Illinois
Village in Cook County · population 77,676 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $414,500
- Household income
- $116,723
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 42.6
Arlington Heights is a village of 77,676 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $414,500, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for young professionals than 93% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 93% of Illinois towns, more upscale than 93% of Illinois towns.
How Arlington Heights ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Arlington Heights is worth $414,500, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $116,723, which is more affordable than 9% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,760 a month. 74.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Arlington Heights | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $414,500 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,760 | $960 |
| Median household income | $116,723 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 74.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Arlington Heights
| People | Arlington Heights | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.0% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.4% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 21.5% | — |
| Work from home | 25.1% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 90.4% |
Weather in Arlington Heights
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 18.4°F. About 32.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arlington Heights since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 17, 1975 about 1.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 67 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 158 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 5, 2010.
Severe weather in Cook County since 1996
Cook County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| November 20, 2023 | Flood | DR-4749: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cook County
Cook County had 2,565,567 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,931 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Arlington Heights itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Arlington Heights
21 public schools with 8,251 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Hersey High School | 9-12 | 2,035 | 16.5 |
| Thomas Middle School | 6-8 | 992 | 14.2 |
| South Middle School | 6-8 | 813 | 12.1 |
| Olive-Mary Stitt School | K-5 | 635 | 15.5 |
| Westgate Elem School | K-5 | 618 | 12.6 |
| Ivy Hill Elem School | PK-5 | 565 | 15.7 |
| Dryden Elem School | K-5 | 505 | 15.3 |
| Windsor Elementary School | K-5 | 471 | 11.0 |
| Patton Elem School | K-5 | 415 | 14.8 |
| Edgar A Poe Elem School | PK-5 | 323 | 10.8 |
| J W Riley Elem School | K-5 | 315 | 11.7 |
| Greenbrier Elem School | PK-5 | 289 | 10.0 |
Towns near Arlington Heights
- Rolling Meadows, IL2.7 mi · 24,200 people · home $326,200
- Prospect Heights, IL2.7 mi · 16,058 people · home $346,500
- Mount Prospect, IL3.2 mi · 56,852 people · home $397,400
- Palatine, IL3.5 mi · 67,908 people · home $355,600
- Wheeling, IL3.8 mi · 39,137 people · home $266,200
- Buffalo Grove, IL4.8 mi · 43,212 people · home $412,300
- Des Plaines, IL6.0 mi · 60,675 people · home $335,600
- Inverness, IL6.2 mi · 7,616 people · home $715,600
Arlington Heights questions
Is Arlington Heights, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Arlington Heights scores better for retirees than 59% of Illinois towns and quieter than 15%. 20.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.6).
How much does a house cost in Arlington Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Arlington Heights is valued at $414,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $116,723, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,760 a month.
What is the weather like in Arlington Heights?
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 18.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.3 inches of precipitation a year and 38.4 inches of snow.
Does Arlington Heights get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arlington Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 17, 1975. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)