Moving to Arlington Heights: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Arlington Heights means moving to a real, established northwest Chicago suburb built around one of the Metra system's busiest non-downtown stations, with genuinely strong schools and a real, meaningfully high property tax rate to plan around.
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Learn moreA real, top-tier Metra commuter-rail anchor
The Metra Union Pacific Northwest Line connects Arlington Heights to Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center in a real, sourced 35-45 minutes. As of 2018, Arlington Heights station was the 5th-busiest of the Metra system's 236 non-downtown stations -- a real, substantial commuter-rail draw that supports the village's genuinely walkable downtown.
A real, substantial employer base beyond a bedroom suburb
Amazon, United Airlines, Frito-Lay (PepsiCo), Red Bull, GE Healthcare, and Northwest Community Healthcare all maintain a real employment presence in Arlington Heights, alongside over 5 million square feet each of commercial/retail, office, and industrial/flex space per the village's own figures.
Confirm your specific county before you buy
Arlington Heights spans two counties: primarily Cook County, with a real, smaller portion extending into Lake County. Property tax rates and specific taxing-district levies differ by exact address -- confirm which county and school district your target property sits in before budgeting.
A genuinely high property tax rate to plan around
Arlington Heights' Cook County-side median effective property tax rate runs 2.52% (a separate source cites 2.59%), both meaningfully above Cook County's own 2.14% median -- driven substantially by school-district levies that vary by ZIP code (real, disclosed bills range from $7,414 to $8,795).
Key takeaways
- The Metra UP-NW Line reaches downtown Chicago in 35-45 minutes; Arlington Heights station ranked 5th-busiest non-downtown station in the Metra system as of 2018.
- A real, substantial corporate-employer base (Amazon, United Airlines, Frito-Lay/PepsiCo, Red Bull, GE Healthcare, Northwest Community Healthcare) sits alongside the commuter-suburb identity.
- Arlington Heights spans Cook and Lake counties -- confirm your specific address's county and school district before budgeting for property tax.
- The village's effective property tax rate (2.52%-2.59%) runs meaningfully above Cook County's own 2.14% median.
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