The Town FilesPalatine, Illinois
Village in Cook County · population 67,908 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $355,600
- Household income
- $97,819
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 40.7
Palatine is a village of 67,908 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $355,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for young professionals than 95% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 89% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 89% of Illinois towns.
How Palatine 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 Palatine is worth $355,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $97,819, which is more affordable than 9% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,549 a month. 67.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Palatine | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $355,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,549 | $960 |
| Median household income | $97,819 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 67.4% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Palatine
| People | Palatine | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.2% | — |
| Work from home | 20.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in Palatine
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 13.4°F. About 40.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.5 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palatine since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 9.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 146 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on February 27, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 144 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 Palatine itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Public schools in Palatine
16 public schools with 12,310 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wm Fremd High School | 9-12 | 2,657 | 16.3 |
| Palatine High School | 9-12 | 2,562 | 13.8 |
| Lake Louise Elem School | PK-6 | 952 | 21.6 |
| Lincoln Elementary School | PK-6 | 739 | 16.4 |
| Hunting Ridge Elem School | K-6 | 724 | 16.5 |
| Virginia Lake Elem School | PK-6 | 665 | 15.1 |
| Walter R Sundling Jr High Sch | 7-8 | 614 | 13.3 |
| Stuart R Paddock School | PK-6 | 610 | 16.1 |
| Winston Campus Jr High | 7-8 | 590 | 9.8 |
| Pleasant Hill Elem School | K-6 | 543 | 18.7 |
| Marion Jordan Elem School | K-6 | 483 | 13.4 |
| Gray M Sanborn Elem School | PK-6 | 472 | 11.2 |
Towns near Palatine
- Inverness, IL2.9 mi · 7,616 people · home $715,600
- Rolling Meadows, IL3.0 mi · 24,200 people · home $326,200
- Arlington Heights, IL3.5 mi · 77,676 people · home $414,500
- Deer Park, IL4.1 mi · 3,681 people · home $661,300
- Kildeer, IL4.5 mi · 4,091 people · home $770,700
- Barrington, IL4.9 mi · 10,722 people · home $582,500
- Buffalo Grove, IL5.4 mi · 43,212 people · home $412,300
- Long Grove, IL5.7 mi · 8,366 people · home $804,600
Palatine questions
Is Palatine, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Palatine scores better for retirees than 46% of Illinois towns and quieter than 13%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.7).
How much does a house cost in Palatine?
The median owner-occupied home in Palatine is valued at $355,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,819, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,549 a month.
What is the weather like in Palatine?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 13.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.4 inches of precipitation a year and 38.5 inches of snow.
Does Palatine get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palatine 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)