The Town FilesRolling Meadows, Illinois
City in Cook County · population 24,200 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $326,200
- Household income
- $98,514
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 37
- Median age
- 39.5
Rolling Meadows is a city of 24,200 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $326,200, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more vibrant than 91% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 88% of Illinois towns, better for cycling than 88% of Illinois towns.
How Rolling Meadows 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 Rolling Meadows is worth $326,200, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $98,514, which is more affordable than 15% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,607 a month. 71.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rolling Meadows | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $326,200 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,607 | $960 |
| Median household income | $98,514 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 71.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rolling Meadows
| People | Rolling Meadows | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.1% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 29.0% | — |
| Work from home | 14.8% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Rolling Meadows
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
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rolling Meadows 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 1.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 67 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 14, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 166 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 Rolling Meadows itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Rolling Meadows
7 public schools with 5,202 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling Meadows High School | 9-12 | 2,067 | 16.7 |
| Willow Bend Elem School | PK-6 | 975 | 23.8 |
| Plum Grove Jr High School | 7-8 | 834 | 17.0 |
| Kimball Hill Elem School | PK-6 | 488 | 11.6 |
| Carl Sandburg Jr High School | 7-8 | 450 | 12.2 |
| Central Road Elem School | PK-6 | 388 | 10.2 |
| John G Conyers Learning Academy | PK-8 | — | — |
Towns near Rolling Meadows
- Arlington Heights, IL2.7 mi · 77,676 people · home $414,500
- Palatine, IL3.0 mi · 67,908 people · home $355,600
- Schaumburg, IL4.4 mi · 78,723 people · home $330,400
- Mount Prospect, IL4.6 mi · 56,852 people · home $397,400
- Inverness, IL4.8 mi · 7,616 people · home $715,600
- Elk Grove Village, IL5.1 mi · 32,812 people · home $347,100
- Prospect Heights, IL5.3 mi · 16,058 people · home $346,500
- Hoffman Estates, IL6.2 mi · 52,530 people · home $351,900
Rolling Meadows questions
Is Rolling Meadows, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rolling Meadows scores better for retirees than 16% of Illinois towns and quieter than 12%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).
How much does a house cost in Rolling Meadows?
The median owner-occupied home in Rolling Meadows is valued at $326,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,514, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,607 a month.
What is the weather like in Rolling Meadows?
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 Rolling Meadows get tornadoes?
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rolling Meadows 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)