Places › Illinois › Palatine

Living in Palatine, IL

Suburb in Illinois

Palatine is a suburb in Illinois, home to about 67,000 people, with 6.8 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Palatine a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 24 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.2× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Mild summers: highs around 79°F
  • Big job market: about 6.8 million people live within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $2,002 state income tax per resident, 2.33% property tax
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Few dog parks: 11 within 9 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Palatine ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
67,000
6.8 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
32°F / 79°F
Average daily highs · 39″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$406k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,290/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
104
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,002
State income tax per resident · 2.33% property tax
Safety
0.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
8 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, cold waves
Top-rated hospitals
24
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
50%
5 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
ORD
12 mi away

Living in Palatine: common questions

What is the cost of living in Palatine?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $406k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,290 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 104, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Palatine?

Illinois collects about $2,002 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.33% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Palatine safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Palatine?

Palatine has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 32°F and summer days around 79°F, with roughly 39″ of snow a year.

Does Palatine get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, cold waves and tornadoes: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.61 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Palatine?

The nearest major airport is ORD, about 12 mi away.

How Palatine scores

Each bar compares Palatine with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Big city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Long, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Average
💸Low taxes Poor
💼Job market Excellent
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Excellent
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Good
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Below average
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Palatine right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.