Highwood, IL vs Palos Park, IL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Palos Park, IL has a modeled overall cost index 0.2% lower than Highwood, IL.

Highwood, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,240 / month
Palos Park, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,260 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Highwood, IL and Palos Park, IL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Highwood, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $11.81/month in Palos Park, IL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $149,858 in Palos Park, IL

Regional cost estimates: Highwood, IL uses Chicago, IL. Palos Park, IL uses Chicago, IL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 0.2%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$11.81

Savings

Annual Impact

$142

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Highwood, IL

Population:5K

Cost Index:

93.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$449K

Palos Park, IL

Population:5K

Cost Index:

93.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$508K

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Highwood, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 5K residents.

Palos Park, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 5K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Highwood, IL vs Palos Park, IL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Highwood, IL	Palos Park, IL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,434/mo	$2,430/mo	↓ $4.43less	0.2%
Other	$1,550/mo	$1,547/mo	↓ $2.82less	0.2%
Transportation	$1,482/mo	$1,479/mo	↓ $2.70less	0.2%
Groceries	$977/mo	$976/mo	↓ $0.89less	0.1%
Healthcare	$564/mo	$564/mo	↓ $0.51less	0.1%
All Utilities	$493/mo	$492/mo	↓ $0.45less	0.1%

Housing

↓ 0.2%

Highwood, IL

$2,434

Palos Park, IL

$2,430

Difference

$4.43

less

Other

↓ 0.2%

Highwood, IL

$1,550

Palos Park, IL

$1,547

Difference

$2.82

less

Transportation

↓ 0.2%

Highwood, IL

$1,482

Palos Park, IL

$1,479

Difference

$2.70

less

Groceries

↓ 0.1%

Highwood, IL

$977

Palos Park, IL

$976

Difference

$0.89

less

Healthcare

↓ 0.1%

Highwood, IL

$564

Palos Park, IL

$564

Difference

$0.51

less

All Utilities

↓ 0.1%

Highwood, IL

$493

Palos Park, IL

$492

Difference

$0.45

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,860

To$1,880

↑ $20.00

1 Bed

From$1,990

To$2,000

↑ $10.00

2 Bed

From$2,240

To$2,260

↑ $20.00

3 Bed

From$2,880

To$2,900

↑ $20.00

Highwood, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,990–$1,990/mo

Palos Park, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,000–$2,000/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Highwood, IL

$7,488

Monthly in Palos Park, IL

$11.81

Difference

Home Values

Highwood

Palos Park

$449K

Median Value

$508K

↑ +6.6%

YoY Change

↑ +7.4%

↑ +44.4%

5-Year Change

↑ +36.8%

Homes in Palos Park are 13% more expensive than Highwood

Calculate payment - Highwood Calculate payment - Palos Park

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Highwood, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Palos Park, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Additional Tax Information

Highwood, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Palos Park, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Highwood

Palos Park

54 Moderate

Air Quality

54 Moderate

35.8%

Good Air Days

35.8%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

Before moving from Highwood, IL to Palos Park, IL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Palos Park, IL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Highwood, IL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Highwood to Palos Park moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Palos Park, IL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Highwood, IL vs Palos Park, IL

How do the cost estimates for Highwood, IL and Palos Park, IL compare?

Palos Park, IL has a modeled overall cost index 0.2% lower than Highwood, IL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Highwood, IL, the model estimates $149,858 in Palos Park, IL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Highwood, IL and Palos Park, IL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,240/month in Highwood, IL and $2,260/month in Palos Park, IL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.