Prospect Heights, Cook County, Illinois Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Prospect Heights, Illinois, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Prospect Heights, Illinois. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Prospect Heights, Illinois. The estimated population of Prospect Heights, Illinois is 16,021 people, with a median age of 40.1.

We can look at the total population in Prospect Heights over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
16,021
+0.22%
-1.98%
2020
15,986
-0.94% -
2019
16,137
-0.7% -
2018
16,250
-0.58% -
2017
16,345
- -

Population of Prospect Heights, Illinois by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
55.6%
55.7%
-0.18%
Black/African American
1.1%
1.4%
-21.43%
Native
0%
0.2%
-100.00%
Hispanic
32.5%
33.4%
-2.69%
Asian
9.3%
8.8%
+5.68%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0.3%
-100.00%
Two Or More Races
1.5%
0.3%
+400.00%
Other
0%
0%
0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Prospect Heights, Illinois by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 40.1 +3.62% 38.3 +7.28% 41.5 +0.24%
2020 38.7 +1.31% 35.7 +1.13% 41.4 +0.73%
2019 38.2 -1.8% 35.3 +0.57% 41.1 -3.75%
2018 38.9 +1.3% 35.1 -0.85% 42.7 +5.96%
2017 38.4 - 35.4 - 40.3 -

The median age of Prospect Heights, Illinois gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 1,295 -12.32% 1,131 -28.82% 1,126 837
10 to 19 991 +33.38% 779 0.75% 1,310 778
20 to 29 993 -53.04% 1,146 -9.36% 551 990
30 to 39 1,221 +12.69% 984 +6.75% 1,362 1,045
40 to 49 1,008 +6.89% 910 +16.21% 1,077 1,058
50 to 59 1,109 -11.4% 1,070 +7.42% 949 1,124
60 to 69 794 +15.49% 1,070 -9.29% 905 972
70+ 790 +29.07% 1,054 -10.19% 1,005 932

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Prospect Heights, Illinois is $77,763.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Prospect Heights.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $83,321.00
  • 45 to 64
    $82,532.00
  • 65 and over
    $63,262.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Prospect Heights, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Prospect Heights, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Prospect Heights, Illinois is currently $105,236.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

11.55% of households in Prospect Heights are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Prospect Heights against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    10.05%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    21.74%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    16.59%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.01%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    20.43%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    5.62%
  • $200,000 or more
    11.55%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Prospect Heights is $42,767.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Prospect Heights by the total population of Prospect Heights.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Prospect Heights, Illinois, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Prospect Heights to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    17.02%
  • Bachelor's degree
    44.06%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    10.45%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    25.26%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3.21%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Prospect Heights that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Prospect Heights over the age of 16 is 12,675.

Of those people, a total of 68.40% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Prospect Heights is 65.20%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 705 49.10% 0.00%
20 to 24 years 380 85.00% 6.20%
25 to 29 years 1,161 87.30% 0.00%
30 to 34 years 1,246 77.40% 1.60%
35 to 44 years 2,460 81.00% 4.20%
45 to 54 years 1,829 84.30% 15.00%
55 to 59 years 1,080 80.00% 1.20%
60 to 64 years 941 76.40% 5.30%
65 to 74 years 1,594 46.60% 0.90%
75 years and over 1,279 12.50% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Prospect Heights. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 8,675 63.10% 6.20%
Black or African American 99 90.90% 25.60%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 1,184 80.70% 2.30%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 2,096 76.70% 0.20%
Two or more races 621 87.00% 2.40%
Hispanic or Latino 3,581 72.20% 1.40%
Not Hispanic or Latino 7,620 63.60% 6.60%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Prospect Heights as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Prospect Heights is 8,263, with median earnings of $41,789.00.

Women in Prospect Heights, Illinois earning approximately 52.10% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 8,263 $41,789.00
Male 4,461 $56,139.00
Female 3,802 $29,247.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 699 $106,184.00
Business and Financial 613 $63,775.00
Computer and Mathematical 404 $92,828.00
Architecture and Engineering 173 $67,386.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 53 $103,160.00
Community and Social Service 68 $55,481.00
Legal 87 $221,250.00
Educational and Library 402 $31,964.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 65 $61,648.00
Healthcare Practitioners 434 $65,625.00
Healthcare Support 227 $27,316.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 39 $9,271.00
Law Enforcement 26 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 449 $21,947.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 325 $37,672.00
Personal Care and Service 210 $25,701.00
Sales 763 $54,271.00
Office and Administrative Support 1,007 $39,901.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 298 $46,842.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 206 $50,833.00
Production 887 $32,821.00
Transportation and Material Moving 412 $35,324.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 468 $106,337.00 231 $99,583.00
Business and Financial 217 $90,250.00 396 $62,821.00
Computer and Mathematical 369 $92,971.00 35 $29,125.00
Architecture and Engineering 148 $83,500.00 25 $39,583.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 36 $0.00 17 $0.00
Community and Social Service 39 $56,010.00 29 $44,514.00
Legal 87 $221,250.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 69 $3,983.00 333 $52,750.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 26 $0.00 39 $67,679.00
Healthcare Practitioners 46 $71,286.00 388 $49,783.00
Healthcare Support 32 $0.00 195 $26,140.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 28 $0.00 11 $0.00
Law Enforcement 17 $0.00 9 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 232 $26,630.00 217 $17,464.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 237 $39,676.00 88 $26,218.00
Personal Care and Service 15 $0.00 195 $25,876.00
Sales 485 $59,009.00 278 $22,500.00
Office and Administrative Support 265 $55,299.00 742 $30,000.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 295 $47,039.00 3 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 206 $50,833.00 0 $0.00
Production 494 $43,333.00 393 $27,054.00
Transportation and Material Moving 359 $35,397.00 53 $35,054.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 6,329 households in Prospect Heights, with an average household size of 2.52 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 4,334 families in Prospect Heights with an average family size of 2.99 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 3,266 394 674 1,995
Average Household Size 3.08 3.19 3.03 1.29
Total Families 3,266 394 674 0
Average Household Size 3.04 2.8 2.84 0

Poverty

Of the 4,334 families in Prospect Heights, 4.80% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Prospect Heights:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 6,437 housing units in Prospect Heights, Illinois.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 6,329 98.32%
Vacant 108 1.68%

32.89% of the total 6,437 housing units in Prospect Heights are rental units. This is approximately 2,117 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 4,156 are occupied by the owner - or 64.56% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Prospect Heights is $1,246.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Prospect Heights that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    56
  • Less than $500
    9
  • $500 to $999
    677
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    959
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    436
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    36
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Prospect Heights is $310,500.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Prospect Heights that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    51
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    409
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    520
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    337
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    678
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    1,240
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    910
  • $1,000,000 or more
    11

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Prospect Heights. The chart below shows the number of properties in Prospect Heights that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    77
  • 1940 to 1949
    179
  • 1950 to 1959
    850
  • 1960 to 1969
    1,170
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,852
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,285
  • 1990 to 1999
    667
  • 2000 to 2009
    295
  • 2010 to 2013
    62
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Prospect Heights that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    219
  • 1 vehicle available
    2,583
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,510
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,017

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Prospect Heights get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Prospect Heights that commute to work in a particular way.

26.2 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Prospect Heights.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    67
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    575
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    1,045
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    942
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    1,259
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    648
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    788
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    133
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    378
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    527
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    380
  • 90 or more minutes
    187

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Prospect Heights, Illinois in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.