Palos Heights, Illinois
Palos Heights is a city of 12,152 people in Cook County, Illinois, founded in 1959.
Why visit Palos Heights
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 35 parks and trails and 27 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include George R. Thorne House, Altman Park and Austin View Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 20°F, and about 39 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Palos Heights
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Palos Heights
Palos Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a southwest suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 12,068.
From the Wikipedia article Palos Heights, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
George R. Thorne House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic house in Midlothian, Illinois
Parks, trails and playgrounds35
Southwest Ice Arena
Sports field and stadium · 2.0 mi
St. Jude Ice Hockey Stadium
5505 West 127th Street, Crestwood
23 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes27
Melinda's Pub
Bar and pub · 1.9 mi
6906 West 111th Street, Worth
Mo-Th 12:00-24:00, Fr-Sa 12:00-02:00, Su 12:00-22:00
Aurelio's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.7 mi
6543 West 127th Street, Palos Heights
15 more on the map.
Churches and places of worship19
Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church
Church · Greek Orthodox · 1.0 mi
12307 South Ridgeland Avenue, Palos Heights
Saint Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church
Church · Orthodox · 0.9 mi
6330 West 127th Street, Palos Heights
Saint Peter and Paul Ukrainian Church
Church · Ukrainian Orthodox · 1.8 mi
8410 West 131st Street, Palos Park
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church
Church · Ukrainian Greek Catholic · 1.9 mi
8530 West 131st Street, Palos Park
7 more on the map.
History
Palos Heights was incorporated on April 11, 1959, on its fourth attempt at the ballot with the results 850 to 684. It officially became a city on April 16, 1959. Shortly thereafter, Z. Erol Smith was elected its first mayor and was re-elected three times, serving until 1973. The city’s name derives from the surrounding Palos Township, which was renamed in 1850—on the recommendation of early postmaster Melanchan A. Powell—after Palos de la Frontera, Spain.
In 1965, a group of scholars met in Palos Heights to discuss the need for a contemporary translation of the Bible. The necessity of the project was agreed upon, and shortly thereafter, the New International Version (NIV) was initiated in Palos Heights.
Beginning in the late 1980s under Mayor Eugene Simpson, the city redeveloped land along the Cal-Sag Channel into what became Lake Katherine; a nonprofit nature center was formalized in 2005 to manage the site.
From the History section of Palos Heights, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries61
A B Shepard High Sch (Campus)
School · 1.1 mi
13049 S Ridgeland Ave, Palos Heights
Healthcare6
Advocate High Tech Medical Park
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.5 mi
11800 Southwest Highway, Palos Heights
Map of Palos Heights
161 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 20°F | 2.3 in | 12.5 in |
| Feb | 37°F | 23°F | 2.1 in | 10.1 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 32°F | 2.7 in | 5.7 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 42°F | 4.2 in | 1.0 in |
| May | 72°F | 52°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 63°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 68°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 67°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 59°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 47°F | 3.9 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 35°F | 2.7 in | 1.5 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 25°F | 2.3 in | 7.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chicago Midway Ap 3Sw 72534 (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cook County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-09-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng (Flood)
- 2023-11-20: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Chicago Ridge 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Alsip 3 mi east, about 5 min by car
- Crestwood 3 mi southeast, about 5 min by car
- Oak Lawn 4 mi northeast, about 7 min by car
- Oak Forest 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Midlothian 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Hickory Hills 5 mi north, about 7 min by car
- Orland Park 5 mi southwest, about 8 min by car
- Bridgeview 5 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Burbank 6 mi north, about 9 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Palos Heights Public Library, Palos Heights, Illinois, Digital Bookmobile, CC BY 2.0
- George Thorne House, Teemu08 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.