US-IL-Chicagoland-University Park
University Park’s story
59 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,748 in 1970, 7,145 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers and 5 maps from 1930 on.
- 1967University Park is settled
Population
7,019
2025 Census estimate · −1.8% since 2020
Typical home
$198K
+2.6% in a year
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
32.1
years
Jobs based here
6,376
A job hub
TownGrade
D
#705 of 767 in IL
Is University Park a good place to live?
University Park earns a D, ranked 705th of 767 in Illinois. One bright spot: it has 10 miles of trail. University Park’s average trip to work is 39 minutes, above both Illinois’ towns (26 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 50 of Illinois’ 1,285 towns score lower on history. University Park is home to Governors State University.
What makes University Park stand out
Where University Park beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here6,376
Residents who work3,113
Work
2 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 84% of U.S. towns
4.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
College town
Governors State University calls University Park home
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How University Park grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far University Park is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.2 of 20; 4.9% of households have no carA−Open →HealthLess healthy than 74% of U.S. towns; Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago Heights 5.3 miles awayCOpen →SafetyCOpen →SchoolsBehind 69% of Illinois districts on tests and graduationCOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →Jobs & income$74K median household incomeC+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors10% conserved landAOpen →History1 notable person born hereDOpen →Civic life1.6 library visits per resident; 3.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market90 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 32.1; 26% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to University Park: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in University Park, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAqua Illinois-University Park1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site
SchoolsRich Township High School District 227Crete-Monee Community Unit School District 201-U2 districts serve University Park; 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 hereWill County ClerkWill County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes60484, 6047160484 94% · 60471 4%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 University Park.
University Park draws workers from Chicago and beyond and has seen reported crime fall beyond ordinary swings.
OutdoorsA
Conserved land covers 10.1% of University Park
The trail density in University Park is 1.0 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Thorn Creek Headwaters Preserve, at 383 acres.
#119for trails in IL
10.1%
conserved · 691 of 6,813 acres
10 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park | 1.7 mi | 70 |
| 2. Thorn Creek Headwaters Preserve | — | 383 |
| 3. Palmer Park | — | 32 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Most working residents commute out of University Park
6,376 jobs are based in University Park, 2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 39.3 minutes, against 27.8 across Illinois.
Most working residents leave University Park for work: only 3% work in town. 14% of residents live below the poverty line in University Park. Jobs based in University Park grew to 6,376 in 2023, 424 more than in 2013.
3%work in town
| University Park | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.9% | 8.4% | 8% |
| Median household income | $74,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In University Park3%
Chicago22%
Matteson3%
Joliet3%
Chicago Heights2%
25 mi
median commute distance
6,376
jobs based in University Park
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 84% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade C
Homes in University Park are worth about $198K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical University Park home is worth about $198,000, up 2.6% in a year, 33% below the Illinois typical home. University Park’s median rent is $1,649 a month.
$198KZillow home value
| University Park | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,649 a month | $1,128 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
University Park$198K
Illinois$296K
Market temperature
90
days on market
100.1%
sale-to-list price
+2.6%
value change, 1 year
8
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthC
University Park stands out in Illinois and nationally: a larger share of its adults have obesity
48% of University Park adults have obesity. University Park beats the Illinois average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 18% of University Park adults have been diagnosed with depression.
26%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| University Park | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 37% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 35% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 33% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
5 better10 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | University Park | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.3% | 7.6% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.5% | 17.8% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 16.1% | 7.8% |
Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago Heights
5.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
14th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyC
Crime per resident in University Park is higher than in 73% of U.S. towns
Reported crimes fell from 148 to 141 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
27%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
University Park1.7
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
University Park18.4
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
27th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
19th
percentile among IL towns
12
violent crimes reported in 2025
129
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
University Park has four seasons and pleasant summers
University Park has chilly winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 16° and about 28 inches of snow falls in a winter.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–35°
Spring39–60°
Summer61–82°
Fall43–63°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
University Park faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 59% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in University Park since 1981.
59risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 1981
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 159 attractions →Soldier Field and 140 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around University Park. Close and well known come first.
Big draw29 mi Stadium & arenaSoldier Field
Big draw35 mi Stadium & arenaWrigley Field
Big draw24 mi MuseumBarack Obama Presidential Center
Big draw27 mi Stadium & arenaRate Field
Big draw30 mi Stadium & arenaUnited Center
Big draw30 mi MuseumArt Institute of Chicago1.5M visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Soldier Field: Photo by Joon Han Contact: [email protected], CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wrigley Field: Ryan Dickey, CC BY 2.0 · Barack Obama Presidential Center: AlphaBeta135, CC0 · Rate Field: User Enoch Lai on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · United Center: User:JeremyA, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Art Institute of Chicago: ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about University Park
20pages on University Park
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 69% of IL districtsSafetyC1.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than IL on 5 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC$198K typical home · up 2.6% in a yearWork & commuteC+$74K median household income · 6,376 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 59% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of University Park
Governors State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · University ParkIn town$12,004 in-state tuitionCAAN Academy of NursingCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Matteson4.1 miPrairie State CollegeCommunity college · Public · Chicago Heights6.6 mi$4,176 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 University Park residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A job hub
Every workday, about 6,286 people come to University Park for work
Where University Park’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6,376jobs based in University Park
3%of working residents work in town
25 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About University Park
Village in Illinois, United States
University Park is a village in Will County with a small portion in Cook County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is a south suburb of Chicago. The village is one of the region's few planned communities; it was developed in the 1960s as Wood Hill, then Park Forest South, and finally University Park. Governors State University was established in the village in 1969. The village population was 7,145 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1967
- Area
- 11 sq mi
- Elevation
- 784 ft
- ZIP code
- 60484
- Area code
- 708
University Park’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with University Park.
All 4 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D; Park Forest (C−) is closest.
Park ForestMoneeCreteRichton ParkUniversity Park
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Park | #705 | D | C | C | C | C |
| Park Forest | #675 | C− | C+ | C+ | C− | C |
| Monee | #540 | C+ | C | C+ | C+ | C+ |
| Crete | #515 | C+ | C | B− | C+ | B− |
| Richton Park | #674 | C− | C | C | C− | B |
Questions about University Park
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is University Park, IL a good place to live?
University Park grades D overall, better than 12% of U.S. towns and #705 of 767 in Illinois. It grades C for health, C for safety and C for schools.
Is University Park, IL expensive?
That is 2.2 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.