The Town FilesHazel Crest, Illinois
Village in Cook County · population 13,382 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $185,300
- Household income
- $68,393
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 41
- Median age
- 38.1
Hazel Crest is a village of 13,382 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $185,300, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 98% of Illinois towns, better for young professionals than 92% of Illinois towns, better transit than 89% of Illinois towns.
How Hazel Crest 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 Hazel Crest is worth $185,300, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $68,393, which is more affordable than 31% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,320 a month. 75.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hazel Crest | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $185,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,320 | $960 |
| Median household income | $68,393 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Hazel Crest
| People | Hazel Crest | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.2% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 16.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.5% | 90.4% |
Weather in Hazel Crest
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
41 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hazel Crest since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 8.4 miles from the town center and killed 33. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 35 deaths and 613 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 106 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 13, 2015.
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 Hazel Crest itself the ACS puts it at 14.3%.
Public schools in Hazel Crest
4 public schools with 1,352 students, about 16.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jesse C White Learning Academy | PK-8 | 432 | 14.9 |
| Mae Jemison School | PK-5 | 359 | 16.3 |
| Highlands Elem School | PK-5 | 290 | 18.1 |
| Chateaux School | PK-5 | 271 | 15.9 |
Towns near Hazel Crest
- Homewood, IL1.7 mi · 19,463 people · home $221,100
- Markham, IL1.8 mi · 11,661 people · home $135,300
- Country Club Hills, IL2.1 mi · 16,775 people · home $192,000
- Flossmoor, IL2.4 mi · 9,704 people · home $344,800
- Harvey, IL3.0 mi · 20,324 people · home $88,100
- Olympia Fields, IL3.6 mi · 4,718 people · home $329,000
- Posen, IL3.8 mi · 5,632 people · home $172,900
- Midlothian, IL4.0 mi · 14,325 people · home $207,000
Hazel Crest questions
Is Hazel Crest, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hazel Crest scores better for retirees than 3% of Illinois towns and quieter than 6%. 20.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.1).
How much does a house cost in Hazel Crest?
The median owner-occupied home in Hazel Crest is valued at $185,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,393, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,320 a month.
What is the weather like in Hazel Crest?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 28.2 inches of snow.
Does Hazel Crest get tornadoes?
41 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hazel Crest since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 1967. 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)