Highland Park, IL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Illinois·Highland Park

Lake County · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin · population 30,794

Investors
Highland Park, IL
Image: Wikipedia · Highland Park, Illinois
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
75
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Highland Park stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 6.2% in the last year. averaging 8.2% annual growth over 5 years. rents up 6.6% in the last year.

Median home $775,270
1-year +6.2%
5-yr CAGR +8.2%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.5%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$775k$437k$560k$683k$806k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
70/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,857/mo$2,280$2,661$3,04120242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent11811210012020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 22.6
Lean rent

At a 22.6 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Highland Park. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
79 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
80 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
55 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
53 · w10%
Long thesis

Highland Park has averaged 8.2% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+6.2% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Highland Park's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Highland Park

Highland Park is a city in Lake County, Illinois, with an estimated population of 30,794. It anchors the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area. The population grew 0.5% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Highland Park is $775,270 as of 2026-04, up 6.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +8.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Highland Park average $2,857 per month, up 6.6% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 75 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Multi-year compounder: home values up an average 8.2% per year over the last 5 years — sustained, not a one-year pop.
●Trend still working: prices up 6.2% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
●Hot rental market: rents up 6.6% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Highland Park (Wikipedia)

Highland Park is a city in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, its population was 30,176. As a suburb of Chicago, Highland Park is located on the North Shore of the Chicago metropolitan area, about 25 miles (40 km) north of downtown. According to the United States Census Bureau, the median household income in Highland Park exceeded an estimated $159,567 in 2022.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Lake County right now.

NWS active alerts (IL)Illinois Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Lake County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Highland Park

Deerfield, IL71 · RisingVernon Hills, IL71 · RisingBelvidere, IL75 · RisingGeneva, IL70 · Rising

Run the numbers for Highland Park

ToolCan I afford Highland Park?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Highland Park rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Highland Park to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolHighland Park cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
33° / 18°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
189
~52% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
22″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Highland Park listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$78,400
Illinois state median
Top industries (state-level)
FinanceManufacturingHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Highland Park

Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.

See all Illinois cities →    Browse best-of lists →