Palos Heights, IL · Updated Oct 2026

What a Palos Heights home costs each year

Property tax, water, trash and energy from public rates. Look up your address to make it yours, and see how to pay less.

Suggestions as you type come from Google; the lookup uses free public map services to find who serves it. Not stored unless you save your house.

Example · a Palos Heights house

$10,257a year · $855 a month

Starts at $70,599 of value before exemptions. Typical use.

Property tax$6,374
10.519% of $70,599, less $10,000 homeowner exemption
Electricity and gas$2,242
583 kWh a month $1,430 · 74.87 therms $811
Water and sewer$1,304
7,000 gallons a month on City of Palos Heights water: water $88, sewer $21 a month
Trash$336
Weekly trash, monthly price per unit (September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027), $28 a month
Home insuranceNot included
We don't have a typical premium for this city yet. Add yours with Adjust.

A typical Palos Heights house costs about $10,300 a year: $6,370 property tax and charges, $1,300 water and sewer, $340 trash, $2,240 electricity and gas; home insurance is not included (no typical premium yet). Estimated from public rates, not anyone's actual bill.

Rates checked Oct 30, 2026. Insurance: what you enter, or a typical premium until you do. Sources are listed at the bottom.

Ways to pay less

One change saves this house about $827 a year:

Bring water use down to 5 units
$827 a year
Above 5 units a month, City of Palos Heights water charges $17.22 a unit instead of $0.00.
How: Most of the top tier is outdoor watering: fix leaks and water less often in summer.

Worth checking

Homeowner Exemption
The Homeowner Exemption reduces the Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) of a property by $10,000.
How: See the Cook County Assessor’s Homeowner Exemption page.
Seniors 65+: 10% off trash
Senior citizens, age 65 and older, can receive a 10% discount by completing the form and sending it directly to Republic Services.
How: Send the form to Republic Services.
Seniors over 65 with income up to $65,000: Senior Freeze
Senior homeowners are eligible for this exemption if they are over 65 years of age and have a total household annual income of $65,000 or less in the 2024 calendar year.
How: Apply with the Cook County Assessor.
Seniors: water and sewer discount
The senior discount rate for incorporated Palos Heights is listed on the 2026 rate table.
How: Complete the Senior Discount Application on the city water and sewer rates page.

Money dates

On or about March 1 each yearin 117 daysThe first installment of taxes is due and is 55% of the previous year's total amount.
Generally August 1The second installment is generally due August 1st or at a later date, as set by Cook County.

Who serves this house

Water: City of Palos Heights water; 2026 minimum water rate is $157.17 for up to 12,000 gallons; $12.88 per 1,000 gallons over the initial 12,000 gallons.
Property tax: 10.52% of value; 2025 tax year, Cook County tax code 39073
Garbage: Republic Services; The City of Palos Heights has a contract with Republic Services for the collection and disposal of solid waste from all single-family residences within the corporate limits

Pay or manage your bills

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How these numbers are made

Property tax uses Cook County 2025 agency rates for tax code 39073 (City of Palos Heights, School District 128, Community High School District 218, Palos Heights Fire Protection District; total 10.518927 per $100 of equalized assessed value), the code with the most single-family parcels in Palos Heights in the county parcel data.
Water: the quarterly minimum of $157.17 covers 12,000 gallons, shown as $52.39 a month with 4,000 gallons included; usage above that is $12.88 per 1,000 gallons. Sewer is the $63.39 quarterly flat fee, shown monthly. Both are from the city 2026 rate table.
Trash is the $28.03 monthly price per unit for September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027.
Electricity: ComEd delivery charges plus the October 2026 price to compare, plus the city electricity use tax of 0.558 cents per kWh. Gas is Nicor Rate 1 with the October 2026 supply cost, raised by the 5.15% municipal charge Nicor lists for Palos Heights on fixed and per-therm charges.
Not included: homeowners insurance.
Starting value uses the Assessor Worth Township median, not a code-39073 parcel median.
Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.

Sources

How Palos Heights compares

A typical Palos Heights house against the 132 Illinois cities we cover, using the same default numbers as the total above.

Per year	Palos Heights	Median	Where it falls
Property tax rate	10.52%	8.23%	higher than 116 of the other 131 Illinois cities we cover
Water	$1,051	$872	higher than 92 of the other 131 Illinois cities we cover
Sewer and utility-bill fees	$254	$535	lower than 94 of the other 123 Illinois cities we cover
Trash	$336	$283	higher than 100 of the other 127 Illinois cities we cover
Electricity and gas	$2,242	$2,163	higher than 80 of the other 131 Illinois cities we cover
Total	$10,257	$11,701	lower than 88 of the other 131 Illinois cities we cover

Cities bill differently (some put trash on the tax bill, some cover more services), so a higher number isn't necessarily worse. The property tax rate is compared instead of dollars because house values differ.

Questions to ask your candidates

Each one starts from a number above. Any candidate can answer them.

1. Property tax rate

The fact: Palos Heights's property tax rate is 10.52%, higher than 116 of the other 131 Illinois cities we cover. The rate adds up every agency on the bill, not only the city.

Ask: "Property tax in Palos Heights is 10.52%, higher than 116 of the other 131 Illinois cities we cover. What should that money pay for first, and would you change anything about how it is set?"

2. Sewer and utility-bill fees

The fact: Sewer and flat utility-bill charges here come to about $254 a year, lower than 94 of the other 123 Illinois cities we cover. Some cities bill sewer on the property tax bill instead, which is not counted here.

Ask: "Sewer and flat utility-bill charges here cost about $254 a year, lower than 94 of the other 123 Illinois cities we cover. What drives that cost, and would you change anything?"

3. Trash

The fact: Trash pickup here costs about $336 a year for the standard cart, higher than 100 of the other 127 Illinois cities we cover. Where trash is billed through the tax bill or a separate hauler, it is not counted here.

Ask: "Trash pickup here costs about $336 a year for the standard cart, higher than 100 of the other 127 Illinois cities we cover. What drives that cost, and would you change anything about the service or the price?"

Common questions about Palos Heights house costs

What is the property tax rate in Palos Heights?

About 10.52% of the value before exemptions a year (2025 tax year, Cook County tax code 39073), plus flat charges on the same bill.

How much is property tax on a $500,000 house in Palos Heights?

About $51,543 a year on $500,000 of the value before exemptions with the homeowner exemption.

How much is the water bill in Palos Heights?

About $109 a month for water and sewer at typical use (7,000 gallons a month) on City of Palos Heights water.

How much does trash pickup cost in Palos Heights?

$28 a month for a house.

When is property tax due in Palos Heights?

On or about March 1 each year: The first installment of taxes is due and is 55% of the previous year's total amount. Generally August 1: The second installment is generally due August 1st or at a later date, as set by Cook County.

Can seniors lower their property tax or bills in Palos Heights?

Yes. Seniors 65+: 10% off trash: Senior citizens, age 65 and older, can receive a 10% discount by completing the form and sending it directly to Republic Services.

How much does a house in Palos Heights cost to run each year?

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