Chicago Heights, IL Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Chicago Heights. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Chicago Heights compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Chicago Heights, Illinois

Cost of living in Chicago Heights research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Chicago Heights is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

92 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#88 Cheapest in Illinois (of 336)
#1,359 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$166,838 Median home value
$1,038 Median rent
$54,798 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Chicago Heights, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chicago Heights has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Chicago Heights has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Illinois's index of 98.

The standard of living in Chicago Heights ranks as #88 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Chicago Heights ranks as the #248 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

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Chicago Heights Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Chicago Heights. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Chicago Heights is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Chicago Heights is 100.

  • The Health index in Chicago Heights is 71.

  • The Housing index in Chicago Heights is 102.

  • The Transportation index in Chicago Heights is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Chicago Heights is 100.

Living Expense Chicago Heights Illinois National Average
Overall 92 98 100
Services 101 99 100
Groceries 100 99 100
Health 71 96 100
Housing 102 101 100
Transportation 98 99 100
Utilities 100 101 100

Chicago Heights Cost Of Living Compared To Illinois Averages

Services
Chicago Heights 101
Illinois avg 99
Groceries
Chicago Heights 100
Illinois avg 99
Health
Chicago Heights 71
Illinois avg 96
Housing
Chicago Heights 102
Illinois avg 101
Transportation
Chicago Heights 98
Illinois avg 99
Utilities
Chicago Heights 100
Illinois avg 101

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Chicago Heights, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

$166,838Median Home Value
$1,038Median Rent
$54,798Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Chicago Heights is $166,838.

  • The Median Rent in Chicago Heights is $1,038.

  • The Median Income in Chicago Heights is $54,798.

  • The Home Value To Income in Chicago Heights is 3.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Chicago Heights is 0.23x.

Statistic Chicago Heights Illinois United States
Median Home Value $166,838 $285,735 $332,700
Median Rent $1,038 $1,274 $1,413
Median Income $54,798 $83,390 $80,734
Home Value To Income 3.0x 3.4x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.18x 0.21x

Chicago Heights, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Chicago Heights Services costs vs. Illinois
Item Chicago Heights Illinois
Shampoo $1.32 $1.28
Movie $9.99 $12.13
Bowling $16.0 $18
Haircut $19.72 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.22 $45.56
Detailed Chicago Heights Groceries costs vs. Illinois
Item Chicago Heights Illinois
Ground Beef $5.94 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.55 $4.67
Potatoes $5.08 $4.93
Pizza $10.69 $12.09
Beer $9.61 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7
Detailed Chicago Heights Health costs vs. Illinois
Item Chicago Heights Illinois
Optometrist $86.67 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $82.0 $113.29
Detailed Chicago Heights Transportation costs vs. Illinois
Item Chicago Heights Illinois
Gasoline $3.52 $3.46
Tire Balancing $45.0 $59.92
Detailed Chicago Heights Utilities costs vs. Illinois
Item Chicago Heights Illinois
All Electricity $156.87 $193.99
Phone $198.03 $192.25

Chicago Heights SnackAbility

5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 5/10
Housing 6/10
Affordability 8/10
Diversity 10/10
Safety 6/10
Amenities 9/10
Education 5/10
Commute 6/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Chicago Heights

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Chicago Heights. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Orland Park, IL has a cost of living index of 114, 1.2x Chicago Heights.

  • Tinley Park, IL has a cost of living index of 111, 1.2x Chicago Heights.

  • Oak Forest, IL has a cost of living index of 106, 1.2x Chicago Heights.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Chicago Heights
Orland Park, IL 57,916 114 1.2x
Tinley Park, IL 54,842 111 1.2x
Oak Forest, IL 26,805 106 1.2x
Homer Glen, IL 24,529 121 1.3x
Park Forest, IL 21,156 92 1.0x
Mokena, IL 20,021 117 1.3x
Homewood, IL 19,294 100 1.1x
Palos Hills, IL 18,081 105 1.1x
Palos Heights, IL 12,152 120 1.3x
Frankfort Square, IL 9,560 110 1.2x