Population 79,327 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Arlington Heights
Household size in Arlington Heights
| Period | Arlington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.56 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.51 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
The average household in Arlington Heights has 2.51 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Arlington Heights
| Period | Arlington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.3 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.8 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.5 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.4 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Arlington Heights is 43.4 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 42.3 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Arlington Heights
| Period | Arlington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.1% of households in Arlington Heights, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.0 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Arlington Heights
Renters in Arlington Heights
| Period | Arlington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.8% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.0% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.9% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.1% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a quarter of households in Arlington Heights rent their homes (26.1%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 40.4% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.4 points, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Arlington Heights
| Period | Arlington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Arlington Heights: 5.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Arlington Heights
| Period | Arlington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Housing in Arlington Heights leans older: the median home dates to 1973, against 1980 nationally. The picture is much the same across the Chicago area.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Arlington Heights
| Period | Arlington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,165 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,161 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,529 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,853 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$688 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Arlington Heights costs $1,853 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $688 a month since 2006–10, up 59%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Arlington Heights
Bachelor's degrees in Arlington Heights
| Period | Arlington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.9% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 52.8% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.5% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 59.3% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.4 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Arlington Heights: 59.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 10.4 points, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Arlington Heights
| Period | Arlington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.4% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.8% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.1% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.2% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Arlington Heights: 95.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.8 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Arlington Heights
| Period | Arlington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Arlington Heights has been strong: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.5 points, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Arlington Heights compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington Heights | 2.51 | 43.4 | 7.1% | 26.1% | 5.7% | 1973 | $1,853 | 59.3% | 95.2% | 3.3% |
| Rolling Meadows | 2.54 | 41.5 | 7.7% | 26.1% | 6.9% | 1970 | $1,702 | 43.5% | 89.7% | 4.3% |
| Mount Prospect | 2.68 | 42.3 | 9.9% | 30.7% | 5.1% | 1970 | $1,544 | 48.9% | 91.0% | 3.6% |
| Palatine | 2.56 | 41.0 | 11.0% | 34.1% | 5.7% | 1977 | $1,705 | 50.6% | 90.7% | 3.7% |
| Prospect Heights | 2.38 | 45.4 | 8.3% | 35.6% | 4.4% | 1972 | $1,551 | 42.0% | 83.7% | 3.1% |
| Wheeling | 2.58 | 41.9 | 8.3% | 35.2% | 6.1% | 1980 | $1,819 | 40.9% | 87.8% | 4.5% |
| Buffalo Grove | 2.67 | 42.7 | 4.9% | 18.4% | 4.3% | 1981 | $2,164 | 67.7% | 96.6% | 2.8% |
| Des Plaines | 2.72 | 42.7 | 9.1% | 28.1% | 7.2% | 1970 | $1,567 | 37.7% | 87.3% | 4.9% |
| Elk Grove Village | 2.51 | 44.6 | 8.3% | 29.9% | 6.2% | 1974 | $1,781 | 40.1% | 91.1% | 3.4% |
| Inverness | 2.77 | 47.8 | 6.0% | 7.6% | 9.2% | 1981 | $2,111 | 65.8% | 97.2% | 3.5% |
| Riverwoods | 2.77 | 43.0 | 8.2% | 26.4% | 7.3% | 1982 | $2,267 | 79.3% | 98.6% | 1.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Durham, NC · Denver, CO · Chesapeake, VA · Chapel Hill, NC · Chicago, IL · Charlotte, NC · Albany, GA · Ann Arbor, MI · Auburn, AL · Brooklyn, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Arlington Heights. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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