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Chicago's Northwest Suburbs

Area 847

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Cook County · UP-NW

Mount Prospect

A compact UP-NW town between Des Plaines and Arlington Heights.

Mount Prospect
Mount Prospect on the Area 847 map — neighbors sit quieter. Municipal limits from U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files (2019, 1:500,000). Not a legal plat. All towns.
Mount Prospect Metra station on the Union Pacific Northwest Line
Mount Prospect Metra station on the Union Pacific Northwest Line. Adam Moss, Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 2.0. Source · License

Overview

Mount Prospect is a Cook County suburb on the UP-NW corridor, with a compact downtown against the tracks and neighborhoods that feel established. It sits between Des Plaines and Arlington Heights on Northwest Highway. The 2020 Census counted 56,852 people; the July 1, 2025 estimate is 55,395. You can learn the downtown in an afternoon.

Quick facts

Population (est.)
55,395 (Census QuickFacts, July 1, 2025, V2025)
2020 Census
56,852
County
Cook
ZIPs
60056
Area codes
847 / 224
Median home value
$397,400 (ACS 2020–2024)
Median household income
$101,720 (ACS 2020–2024)
Mean commute
25.9 minutes (ACS 2020–2024)
Owner-occupied
68.7% (ACS 2020–2024)
Bachelor's or higher
48.6%
Poverty rate
6.6%

Housing, income, and commute figures are U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 estimates unless noted. Population is Census QuickFacts July 1, 2025 (V2025) unless noted.

Taxes

BlockShopper’s FY 2024 median bill for Mount Prospect was about $8,745 on a $385,000 home, near 2.3 percent effective. Your PIN still depends on township, schools, parks, and exemptions. Confirm it on the Cook County Treasurer site.

Commute

Mean travel time is 25.9 minutes (ACS 2020–2024) — among the shorter means on this list. Metra UP-NW stops at Mount Prospect, 13 E. Northwest Highway. Roads: Northwest Highway, Rand Road, Elmhurst Road, and a shot toward I-294 or I-90 depending on the block.

Schools

Mount Prospect School District 57 covers the central area. Parts of town fall in CCSD 59. High schools are commonly Township High School District 214. Always check the address. ISBE has the report cards.

Housing

ACS 2020–2024 median owner-occupied value is $397,400, owner occupancy 68.7 percent, median household income $101,720. Postwar ranches and split-levels near the core; townhomes and condos mixed in. Station-adjacent streets move when rates drop.

Why people move here

Train and downtown without quite as large a footprint as Arlington Heights. Less geographic spread, competition near the station, and Cook County taxes. A strong fit if Metra is the priority and you want a village you can learn by walking.

On the ground

Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, Township High School District 214
Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, Township High School District 214. Mr Harman, 25 April 2006. Public domain. Source · License

Village numbers

Call 911 for police, fire, or medical emergencies. The numbers below are the published civic lines.

Open Mount Prospect in Home SOS · Malls, churches, and theaters · Other attractions · Facilities · Pickleball courts

Pickleball courts

Public / park-district sites only. Full directory: Pickleball courts.

Upcoming in Mount Prospect

Dining and shops

Editorial roundup from OpenTable, TripAdvisor, and downtown association lists, September 2026.

  • The Prospect

    American · Downtown · 18 W. Northwest Highway

    OpenTable’s Mount Prospect leader in September 2026 — open kitchen, bistro plates, a short walk from the UP-NW platform.

  • Lady Dahlia Tequila Bar

    Mexican · Downtown

    OpenTable Diners’ Choice for downtown Mount Prospect. Modern Mexican and handcrafted cocktails.

  • Jameson's Charhouse

    Steakhouse · 1702 W. Algonquin Road

    The Algonquin-and-Busse room of the family steakhouse brand — OpenTable Diners’ Choice, not the Dundee Arlington Heights location.

  • Los Compadres Taqueria

    Mexican · 1801 W. Algonquin Road

    The Mount Prospect taqueria this desk would put Guy Fieri in a booth for — not because it is flashy, but because the food is the real thing. Family room on Algonquin, authentic Mexican, chile-and-authenticity pick. If Palatine has a taco crawl, cross the village line for this one. Deserves its own Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives episode; we have not seen one yet. Not a ranking anyone can buy.

  • Whiskey Hill Brewery & Kitchen

    Brewery

    Local brewery and kitchen. A regular on public Mount Prospect dining lists.

Sources