Sheep yards, 1909
Kirkland’s story
151 years in pictures
Census counts: 410 in 1890, 1,650 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1909 and 2 maps from 1918 on.
- 1875Kirkland is settled
KirklandIL
A town of 1,632, settled in 1875.
Photo: TheCatalyst31 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,632
2025 Census estimate · −1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$278K
+6.7% in a year
Household income
$94K
median
Median age
34.8
years
Jobs based here
238
A commuter town
Is Kirkland a good place to live?
The best of Kirkland’s subject grades are an A− for cost of living and incomes. Kirkland’s average trip to work is 34 minutes, above both the Illinois town median (26 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 9 of the 358 Illinois towns we compare have a lower property crime rate than Kirkland. Kirkland has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Kirkland stand out
Where Kirkland beats most towns.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Kirkland for work
Where Kirkland’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
238jobs based in Kirkland
3%of working residents work in town
26 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Kirkland grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Kirkland is from typical.
Cost of livingA−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →SchoolsBehind 65% of Illinois districts on tests and graduationC+Open →HealthNorthwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital 13.8 miles awayBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 42% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.2 of 20; 1.6% of households have no car; 1.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 1% conserved landB−Open →HistoryC+Open →Civic life1 library visits per resident; 7.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.8; 21% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Kirkland: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Kirkland, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKirkland water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Kirkland’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDeKalb County ClerkDeKalb County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code6014660146 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Kirkland.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
With 0.3 jobs for every working resident, most of Kirkland’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Kirkland for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Kirkland has lost 72 jobs, to 238 in 2023. Kirkland’s median household income is $94,000, against $83,000 in Illinois’ towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns.
3%work in town
| Kirkland | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.5% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $94,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.8% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Kirkland3%
DeKalb7%
Rockford7%
Elgin5%
Chicago5%
26 mi
median commute distance
238
jobs based in Kirkland
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 49% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Kirkland has four seasons and pleasant summers
Kirkland has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 14° and about 39 inches of snow falls in a winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–32°
Spring37–59°
Summer60–82°
Fall41–62°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Kirkland is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns
Kirkland beats the Illinois average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 21% of adults binge drink in Kirkland.
64%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Kirkland | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 78% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
2 better28 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Kirkland | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.8% | 15.9% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.8% | 3.3% |
| More adults with depression | 23.6% | 19.8% |
Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital
13.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Safety
Crime reported in Kirkland
Kirkland's reported crime rate is well below Illinois's. Kirkland’s violent crime rate is 0 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Kirkland0
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Kirkland0.6
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
1
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Moderate risk in Kirkland, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 58% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 20 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Kirkland.
42risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
20
paid flood claims since 1996
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A−
A typical Kirkland home is worth about $278K
The typical Kirkland home is worth about $278,000, up 6.7% in a year, 6% below the Illinois typical home. The median rent in Kirkland is $875 a month.
$278KZillow home value
| Kirkland | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $875 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Kirkland$278K
Illinois$296K
+6.7%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1.4%conserved
| Kirkland | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.4% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
1.4%
conserved · 11 of 808 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kishwaukee River State Fish and Wildlife Area | — | 13 |
| 2. Potowatomi Forest Preserve | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 60 attractions →Illinois Railway Museum and 21 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Kirkland. Close and well known come first.
19 mi MuseumIllinois Railway Museum
18 mi Stadium & arenaBMO Center
12 mi TheatreEgyptian Theatre, DeKalb
18 mi GardenAnderson Japanese Gardens
12 mi MuseumEllwood House
30 mi Theme parkSanta's Village Amusement & Water ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Illinois Railway Museum: The original uploader was Slambo at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.0 · BMO Center: SimLibrarian, CC0 · Egyptian Theatre, DeKalb: Andy McMurray, CC BY 2.5 · Anderson Japanese Gardens: M. Readey, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ellwood House: Paul R. Burley, CC0 · Santa's Village Amusement & Water Park: Martin Lewison from The Hague, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kirkland
19pages on Kirkland
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 65% of IL districtsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than IL on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$278K typical home · up 6.7% in a yearWork & commuteA−$94K median household income · 238 jobs hereNatural hazardsBFEMA risk higher than 42% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Kirkland
Kishwaukee CollegeCommunity college · Public · Malta10.6 mi$4,560 in-state tuitionNorthern Illinois UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Dekalb11.6 mi$13,248 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Kirkland residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
About Kirkland
Village in Illinois, United States
Kirkland is a village in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,650 at the 2020 census, down from 1,744 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 768 ft
- ZIP code
- 60146
Questions about Kirkland
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Kirkland, IL expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.