Palos Heights, Illinois Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Palos Heights is a small city located in Illinois, within Cook County. The total population is 12,152. It ranks as the 198th most populous out of 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois.

Age Demographics

The median age in Palos Heights is 50.2 years. This is 29% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. 15.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Palos Heights is $108,740. This is 30% higher than the state median of $83,390. It is also 35% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.2%. This is 56% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 39% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $367,100. Housing costs are 39% higher than the state median of $263,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 93.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 39% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Palos Heights has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (87.2% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (2.2%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (8.6%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

43.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 15% higher than the state rate of 37.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 96.7%. Notably, 18.9% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Palos Heights, Illinois is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Illinois state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.