Town file
Palos Park, Illinois
Palos Park, Illinois (Cook County, Illinois) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 717, "Marriage, Murder, Malice & The Mob" (16 July 2026). Diane Georgia Turner was born on 26 June 1946 in Cook County, Illinois, to George and Anne Marie Turner.
- Town
- Palos Park
- County
- Cook County
- State
- Illinois
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 717
- Approximate location
- 41.666, -87.830
Episode 717 / 16 July 2026 / 183 min / full
Marriage, Murder, Malice & The Mob
"we're going to Palos Park, Illinois" about 0:06:01
The case: Murder of Diane Masters (March 1982). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2026
- Population
- 4,859
- Median age
- 56.6
- Median household income
- $122,676
- Median home value
- $428,200
- Two-bedroom rent
- $2,140
- Cost of living
- 105
- Religious
- 60%
- Property crime
- ▼ about a third of the national average
- Violent crime
- ▼ less than one quarter of the average
History, in brief
- Early settlers built log houses and cut timber, loading it on canal barges for Chicago's construction and fuel. about 0:07:15
- There were farms and cattle, chickens, pigs and goats in the area. about 0:07:39
- The I&M Canal came in 1848 and brought Irish and German immigrants to work on it. about 0:07:46
- Early settlers were farmers, labourers, blacksmiths and wood cutters. about 0:07:58
- In the 1850s Palos Township was named Trenton, like New Jersey, but the first postmaster changed it to Palos. about 0:07:58
- The village felt the need for local government around 1914 and incorporated. about 0:08:32
- A village aid plan called for new roads, electricity, indoor plumbing and telephones. about 0:08:40
- A law required one-acre residential lots to stop houses being built on top of each other. about 0:08:58
- Industrial and business development was limited to the railroad site. about 0:09:25
The reviews read out
4.5 stars
"Rated 4.5 stars on Niche."about 0:09:42
5 stars
"Cosy, quiet, friendly and professional community with minimal commercial development, green landscapes, forest preserves, lakes and trails for hiking, horseback riding, running and skiing, with good schools, parks, first responders and small businesses."about 0:09:47
4 stars
"A peaceful area with lots of wooded areas, four seasons and many places to explore nature."about 0:10:20
3 stars
"Lived there several years and grew to appreciate its charm: a peaceful suburb within walking distance of small businesses and a big grocery store, with forest preserves nearby, though parts of town could be more walkable."about 0:10:40
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Chicago, Illinois14 miles
- Oak Park, Illinois15 miles
- Villa Park, Illinois17 miles
- Hammond, Indiana18 miles
- Bloomingdale, Illinois24 miles
- Elk Grove Village, Illinois25 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.