The Town FilesProspect Heights, Illinois
City in Cook County · population 16,058 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $346,500
- Household income
- $85,008
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 42.8
Prospect Heights is a city of 16,058 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $346,500, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more walkable than 90% of Illinois towns, hipper than 85% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 83% of Illinois towns.
How Prospect 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 Prospect Heights is worth $346,500, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $85,008, which is more affordable than 3% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,475 a month. 66.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Prospect Heights | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $346,500 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,475 | $960 |
| Median household income | $85,008 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 66.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Prospect Heights
| People | Prospect Heights | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 3.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 40.6% | — |
| Work from home | 18.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 90.4% |
Weather in Prospect 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
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prospect Heights since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 12, 1976 about 9.0 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 108 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 161 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 Prospect Heights itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Prospect Heights
6 public schools with 1,653 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacArthur Middle School | 6-8 | 465 | 11.9 |
| Dwight D Eisenhower Elem School | PK-1 | 358 | 14.3 |
| Anne Sullivan Elem School | 4-5 | 327 | 13.6 |
| Betsy Ross Elem School | 2-3 | 324 | 14.1 |
| Prairie Trails School | PK-K | 179 | 10.5 |
| MacArthur MS-D/HH MS Program | Other | — | — |
Towns near Prospect Heights
- Wheeling, IL1.8 mi · 39,137 people · home $266,200
- Arlington Heights, IL2.7 mi · 77,676 people · home $414,500
- Mount Prospect, IL2.8 mi · 56,852 people · home $397,400
- Buffalo Grove, IL4.6 mi · 43,212 people · home $412,300
- Des Plaines, IL5.0 mi · 60,675 people · home $335,600
- Riverwoods, IL5.1 mi · 3,790 people · home $800,700
- Northbrook, IL5.1 mi · 35,222 people · home $652,300
- Rolling Meadows, IL5.3 mi · 24,200 people · home $326,200
Prospect Heights questions
Is Prospect Heights, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prospect Heights scores better for retirees than 40% of Illinois towns and quieter than 18%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Prospect Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Prospect Heights is valued at $346,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,008, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $1,475 a month.
What is the weather like in Prospect 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 Prospect Heights get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prospect Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 12, 1976. 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)