Old Warsaw Restaurant, 2003
Harwood Heights’s story
Harwood Heights in pictures
Census counts: 655 in 1950, 9,065 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2003 and 7 maps from 1891 on.
Explore the history →
Photo: Zagalejo · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
8,761
2025 Census estimate · −3.4% since 2020
Typical home
$389K
+6.7% in a year
Household income
$81K
median
Median age
42.2
years
Jobs based here
3,687
Balanced
TownGrade
A
#72 of 767 in IL
Why does Harwood Heights grade so well?
Few places in the country grade higher. Harwood Heights earns an A, 72nd among Illinois's 767 graded towns. The median household earns $81K, it is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns, and its public schools beat 78% of Illinois towns on state tests and graduation. Its lowest mark, a C, is in cost of living. Harwood Heights’ concentration of trails is 1.4 miles per square mile, where Illinois’ towns sit at 0.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. On walkability, just 12 of Illinois’ 1,284 towns do better. Harwood Heights's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 95% of U.S. towns.
What makes Harwood Heights stand out
Where Harwood Heights beats most towns.
WalkabilityA+
More walkable than 99% of U.S. towns
10.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
32 measures vs. Illinois
9 better23 too close to call0 worse
| Widest gap | Harwood Heights | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 5.6% | 7.8% |
HealthA
Beats IL on 9 of 32 CDC measures, trails it on none
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Natural hazardsA−
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
How Harwood Heights grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Harwood Heights is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 16.6 of 20; 11.3% of households have no carA+Open →Jobs & incomeAOpen →HealthAmita Health Resurrection Medical Center 1.6 miles awayAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities; cold waves tops the listA−Open →SchoolsA−Open →Cost of livingCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 8% conserved landB+Open →HistoryC−Open →Civic life0.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 170 attractions →Wrigley Field and 153 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Harwood Heights. Close and well known come first.
Big draw8 mi Stadium & arenaWrigley Field
Big draw12 mi Stadium & arenaSoldier Field
Big draw17 mi MuseumBarack Obama Presidential Center
Big draw9 mi Stadium & arenaUnited Center
Big draw13 mi Stadium & arenaRate Field
5 mi Stadium & arenaAllstate ArenaSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Wrigley Field: Ryan Dickey, CC BY 2.0 · Soldier Field: Photo by Joon Han Contact: [email protected], CC BY-SA 3.0 · Barack Obama Presidential Center: AlphaBeta135, CC0 · United Center: User:JeremyA, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Rate Field: User Enoch Lai on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Allstate Arena: Nkon21, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Harwood Heights: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Harwood Heights, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHarwood Heights water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
SchoolsRidgewood Community High School District 234Union Ridge School District 86Maine Township High School District 2073 districts serve Harwood Heights; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCook County ClerkCook County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP code6070660706 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Harwood Heights.
OutdoorsB+
Open space protected for good: 7.5% of Harwood Heights
Trails run 1.1 miles in 1 park or preserve. Harwood Heights has one park or preserve, 19 acres in all.
#63for trails in IL
7.5%
conserved · 39 of 523 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Norridge Park | 0.9 mi | 19 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA
Harwood Heights earns an A for health
The share of adults in Harwood Heights who have been diagnosed with depression: 20%. Among adults here, 27% have obesity, below both Illinois’ towns (37%) and U.S. towns (35%). In Harwood Heights, 30% of adults have high blood pressure, and 19% binge drink.
85%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Harwood Heights | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 37% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
9 better23 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Harwood Heights | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 5.6% | 7.8% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.2% | 10.3% |
Amita Health Resurrection Medical Center
1.6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
77th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C
The typical home in Harwood Heights is valued at about $389K
Nearly three in five households live in a home they own in Harwood Heights. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 6.7%. For Harwood Heights, the typical rent is $1,236 a month.
$389KZillow home value
| Harwood Heights | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 59% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,236 a month | $1,128 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Harwood Heights$389K
Illinois$296K
+6.7%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Low risk in Harwood Heights, with cold waves at the top
Paid flood insurance claims in Harwood Heights since 2011: 3. On expected storm and flood damage, Harwood Heights sits below 70% of U.S. communities. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 8 declared disasters, most recently in 2024. 38% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from cold waves, followed by inland flooding at 31%.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
3
paid flood claims since 2011
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Harwood Heights: four seasons and pleasant summers
Summer afternoons peak near 84° in July, and January nights bottom out around 17°; snowfall runs to about 38 inches a winter. Winters in Harwood Heights are chilly, snowy and summers pleasant.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–35°
Spring39–58°
Summer62–82°
Fall44–62°
Oct 28
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
About one in three of Harwood Heights’ working residents commute to Chicago
Harwood Heights has about as many jobs (3,687) as working residents, but only 160 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 2,519 in 2013 to 3,687.
The mean commuting time in Harwood Heights is 29 minutes. Commuting out is the norm here: 4% of working residents work locally. Harwood Heights: 4.1% of residents live below the poverty line. It had 3,687 jobs in 2023, up 1,168 from 2013.
4%work in town
| Harwood Heights | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 8.4% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Harwood Heights4%
Chicago35%
Norridge4%
Des Plaines3%
Elk Grove Village2%
9 mi
median commute distance
3,687
jobs based in Harwood Heights
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Young adults are less common in Harwood Heights than in Illinois
Adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (23% statewide). Among adults 25 and older, 35% have a four-year degree or more, against 38% across Illinois. 8,761 people lived in Harwood Heights by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, 3.4% fewer than in 2020.
42.2median age · IL 39
| Harwood Heights | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 29% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 20% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 42.2 years | 40.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 22% | 22% |
Harwood HeightsIllinoisUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma12%
High school28%
Some college18%
Associate’s6%
Bachelor’s20%
Graduate15%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.3 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Harwood Heights | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.3% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.4% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.8% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 17.2% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.4% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.8% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.2% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 12.2% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.4% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.9% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.3% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.3% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Safety
Crime reported in Harwood Heights
Harwood Heights's reported crime rate is close to Illinois's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 11 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Harwood Heights | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 18.1 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.3 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Harwood Heights1.3
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Harwood Heights18.1
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
11
violent crimes reported in 2025
157
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Harwood Heights
19pages on Harwood Heights
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 78% of IL districtsSafety1.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than IL on 9 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC$389K typical home · up 6.7% in a yearWork & commuteA$81K median household income · 3,687 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities · cold waves
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
42 within 15 miles of the center of Harwood Heights
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright CollegeCommunity college · Public · Chicago1 mi$4,590 in-state tuitionHebrew Theological CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Skokie3.8 mi$15,150 tuitionNortheastern Illinois UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Chicago4.6 mi$12,383 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Harwood Heights residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
About Harwood Heights
Village in Cook County, Illinois, US
Harwood Heights is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,065 at the 2020 census. Harwood Heights and neighboring Norridge form an enclave surrounded by the city of Chicago.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- ZIP code
- 60706
- Area code
- 708
Harwood Heights’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Harwood Heights.
NorridgeNorwood Park TownshipHarwood Heights
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harwood Heights | #72 | A | C | — | A− | A |
| Norridge | #257 | A− | C− | — | A− | A− |
| Norwood Park Township | #133 | A | C− | — | A− | A |
Harwood Heights, Norridge and Norwood Park Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Harwood Heights with a neighbor →
Questions about Harwood Heights
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Harwood Heights, IL a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Harwood Heights grades A overall, better than 94% of U.S. towns and #72 of 767 in Illinois. It grades A for health and A− for schools.
Is Harwood Heights, IL expensive?
That is 4.3 years of the area's median household income ($90,887 across the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.