Palos Township is one of 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 56,836, with its most populous municipality being Palos Hills (pop. 17,484). The vast majority of the township's population resides in its eastern half; the half west of La Grange Road consists of the Palos Forest Preserves, a section of the Cook County Forest Preserves. In 1850 the small town of Trenton, Illinois changed its name to Palos; this recommendation was made by M. S. Powell, the local postmaster, whose ancestor supposedly sailed with Christopher Columbus from Palos de la Frontera. When it incorporated as a village in 1914, Palos officially became Palos Park. Nearby communitie…

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How Palos ranks

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#13Most trails in IL #58Lowest obesity in IL #67Most conserved land in IL All IL rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code60457, 60462, 60463

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Living in Palos

Health in Palos

Health Grade A

Healthier than 86% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Illinois

13better than IL·3worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 16 are too close to call.

Conditions 1▲ 3▼ 8 close Habits 2▲ 2 close Care 4▲ 3 close Mind 2▲ 3 close Everyday needs 4▲ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

5.4%Fewer adults facing a utility shut-offIL 7.8% · better 9.5%Fewer adults facing housing insecurityIL 13.2% · better 10.4%More adults who have had cancerIL 7.6% · worse

Care nearby

Palos Community HospitalPalos Heights · 3.6 mi · ER

9400 South CiceroOak Lawn · 6 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · ZIP codes 60464, 60480, 60465 · CMS · HRSAHealth in Palos →

Natural hazards in Palos

High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves🌪️ Tornadoes

80Does Palos flood?paid flood claims since 1978 NoneDisasters that paid out hereof 21 declared for Cook County MapPalos vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Palos →

Schools in Palos

All Palos schools →

School Grade A

The public schools Palos’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 90% of Illinois’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#45Best public schoolsof 384 in IL

DistrictCons HSD 230Schools16

Oak Ridge Elem School AElementary · Grades 2–5 · 774 students Palos East Elementary School AElementary · Grades K–5 · 705 students Palos West Elementary School AElementary · Grades PK–5 · 700 students Glen Oaks Elem School AElementary · Grades 2–5 · 649 students Dr Kenneth M Sorrick SchoolElementary · Grades PK–1 · 449 students Dorn Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–1 · 431 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within IL. Ratings are from neighbors.