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Arlington Heights vs North Chicago

Arlington Heights, Illinois versus North Chicago, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Arlington Heights

Mixed · objective livability44/100

North Chicago

Mixed · objective livability47/100

Arlington Heights and North Chicago score about the same overall (44 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorArlington HeightsNorth Chicago
Affordability
Median Household Income$114k$52k
Cost of Living$62k$62k
Home Value$397k$130k
Monthly Rent$2k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$3k$1k
Property Tax Rate2.21%2.77%
Income Tax5.00%5.00%
Sales Tax8.86%8.86%
Estimated total tax burden15.63%14.87%
Unemployment3.5%9.5%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F24°F
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F73°F
Annual Precipitation37.3 in38.6 in
Annual Snowfall38.4 in43.1 in
Sunny Days245 days245 days
Summer Humidity63°F63°F
Comfortable Days94 days92 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk72.415.2
Air Quality53 AQI51 AQI
School Quality100.090.9
Violent Crime539/100k952/100k
Property Crime1082/100k772/100k
Community
Population76,79430,890
Median Age42.823.5
Racial Diversity0.390.73
Male/Female Ratio0.981.51
Political LeaningD+25D+25
White (%)74.8%29.5%
Black (%)2.6%24.4%
Hispanic (%)8.9%35.9%
Asian (%)11.1%5.2%
Other / Multiracial (%)2.6%5.0%
Getting Around
Commute Time28 min17 min
Walkability10.6/2012.7/20
Airport Distance9 mi24 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.9%84.9%
Amenities Nearby73.8367.01
Park & Nature AccessModerateModerate

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Arlington Heights or North Chicago more affordable?
North Chicago has the lower cost of living: its index is $62k, compared with Arlington Heights's $62k and North Chicago's $62k. Median rent is $2k in Arlington Heights versus $1k in North Chicago.
Is Arlington Heights or North Chicago safer?
Arlington Heights has the lower violent crime rate. Arlington Heights reports 539/100k and North Chicago reports 952/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Arlington Heights or North Chicago?
The median home value is $397k in Arlington Heights and $130k in North Chicago, so homes are more affordable in North Chicago.
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