Podium, 2005
Northbrook’s story
125 years in pictures
Census counts: 441 in 1910, 35,222 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 8 maps from 1900 on.
- 1901Northbrook is settled
Photo: CL Minecraft · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
34,744
2025 Census estimate · −1.5% since 2020
Typical home
$711K
+10% in a year
Household income
$158K
median
Median age
49.6
years
Jobs based here
36,315
A job hub
TownGrade
A
#61 of 767 in IL
Is Northbrook a good place to live?
Northbrook is one of the best-graded places in America: an A, ranked 61st of 767 in Illinois. It is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, its public schools beat 98% of Illinois towns on state tests and graduation, and the median household earns $158K. The exception is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $710K for a typical one and 7.8 times the Chicago metro’s $91K median household income. 73% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Northbrook, against 29% in Illinois’ towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Northbrook is more walkable than 95% of U.S. towns. Only 65 of Illinois’ 1,285 towns score lower on history.
What makes Northbrook stand out
Where Northbrook beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here36,315
Residents who work15,592
Work
2.3 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 96% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
WalkabilityA+
More walkable than 95% of U.S. towns
8.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A job hub
Every workday, about 34,440 people come to Northbrook for work
Where Northbrook’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
36,315jobs based in Northbrook
12%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Northbrook grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Northbrook is from typical.
HealthAdvocate Lutheran General Hospital 8.1 miles awayA+Open →SchoolsA+Open →Jobs & incomeA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.2 of 20; 5.3% of households have no carA+Open →Cost of livingDOpen →SafetyB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors8% conserved landA−Open →History14 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life8.4 library visits per resident; 6.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 171 attractions →Wrigley Field and 152 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Northbrook. Close and well known come first.
Big draw16 mi Stadium & arenaWrigley Field
Big draw22 mi Stadium & arenaSoldier Field
Big draw27 mi MuseumBarack Obama Presidential Center
9 mi Stadium & arenaAllstate Arena
Big draw19 mi Stadium & arenaUnited Center
Big draw23 mi Stadium & arenaRate FieldSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Wrigley Field: Ryan Dickey, CC BY 2.0 · Soldier Field: Photo by Joon Han Contact: [email protected], CC BY-SA 3.0 · Barack Obama Presidential Center: AlphaBeta135, CC0 · Allstate Arena: Nkon21, CC BY-SA 4.0 · United Center: User:JeremyA, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Rate Field: User Enoch Lai on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Northbrook: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Northbrook, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNorthbrook water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressDay by addressTown site
SchoolsNorthfield Township High School District 225Northbrook School District 28Northbrook Elementary School District 273 districts serve Northbrook; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereCook County ClerkCook County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP code6006260062 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 Northbrook.
Northbrook draws workers from Chicago and beyond and has less utility shut-off threats than most of Illinois, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Illinois.
HousingCost of living grade D
The median rent in Northbrook is higher than in most of Illinois or the rest of the country
At 7.8 years of the Chicago metro’s $91K median household income, the typical home (about $711K) costs more against local pay than in 97% of Illinois towns; that ratio is one input to its D for cost of living.
Northbrook’s median rent is $2,463 a month. Typical home values rose 10% in the year to September 2026. 87% of households own their home in Northbrook.
$711KZillow home value
| Northbrook | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,463 a month | $1,128 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 87% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Northbrook$711K
Illinois$296K
Market temperature
42
days on market
101.6%
sale-to-list price
+10%
value change, 1 year
39
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
OutdoorsA−
7.5% of Northbrook is conserved land
16 miles of trail in 24 parks and preserves. The trail density in Northbrook is 1.2 miles per square mile. Somme Woods, at 181 acres with 2.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
#77for trails in IL
| Northbrook | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 7.5% | 3.6% | 4.3% |
7.5%
conserved · 635 of 8,475 acres
16 mi
of trails · 1.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Somme Woods | 2.5 mi | 181 |
| 2. Sunset Ridge Woods | 1.6 mi | 142 |
| 3. Wood Oaks Green Park | 1.4 mi | 58 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA+
Fewer of Northbrook’s adults have obesity than in the typical Illinois or U.S. town
Its widest gap with Illinois is utility shut-off threats: 3.1% of its 27,358 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off, against 7.8% statewide.
23% of Northbrook adults have obesity. Northbrook beats the Illinois average on 25 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 17% of Northbrook adults have been diagnosed with depression.
98%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| Northbrook | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 17% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 6.4% | 13% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 35% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
25 better5 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Northbrook | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 3.1% | 7.8% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.5% | 15.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.1% | 7.6% |
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
8.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
99th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
About one in eight working residents works right in Northbrook
36,315 jobs are based in Northbrook, 2.3 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. 32.4% of workers work from home, against 15.9% across Illinois.
Most working residents leave Northbrook for work: only 12% work in town. Since 2013, Northbrook has added 2,712 jobs, to 36,315 in 2023. The top destinations are Chicago (28%), Glenview (5%) and Evanston (3%).
12%work in town
| Northbrook | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 32% | 11% | 11% |
| Median household income | $158,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.3% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Northbrook12%
Chicago28%
Glenview5%
Evanston3%
Skokie3%
11 mi
median commute distance
36,315
jobs based in Northbrook
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 95% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyB+
Northbrook is safer than 69% of U.S. towns, by crime per resident
Reported crimes fell from 394 to 318 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 7 reported in 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 residents.
69%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Northbrook0.2
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Northbrook9
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
69th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
59th
percentile among IL towns
7
violent crimes reported in 2025
311
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
In Northbrook, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Northbrook has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 17° and about 34 inches of snow falls in a winter.
34″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–34°
Spring38–57°
Summer61–81°
Fall44–61°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Moderate risk in Northbrook, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 80 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Northbrook.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
80
paid flood claims since 1978
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Northbrook
20pages on Northbrook
The big questions
SchoolsA+Beat 98% of IL districtsSafetyB+0.2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA+Better than IL on 25 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$711K typical home · up 10% in a yearWork & commuteA+$158K median household income · 36,315 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 55% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
19 within 15 miles of the center of Northbrook
Oakton CollegeCommunity college · Public · Des Plaines5.2 mi$3,985 in-state tuitionTrinity International University-IllinoisUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Deerfield5.3 mi$12,320 tuitionNortheastern Illinois UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Chicago11.9 mi$12,383 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Northbrook residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
Famous people from Northbrook
14 notable people were born in Northbrook.
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About Northbrook
Village in Illinois, United States
Northbrook is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb of Chicago in the greater North Shore, part of a collection of upscale residential communities north of Chicago. The population was 35,222 at the 2020 census. It is within Northfield Township, Illinois, bordering Lake County. When incorporated in 1901, the village was known as Shermerville in honor of Frederick Schermer, who donated the land for its first train station. The village changed its name to Northbrook in 1923 as an effort to improve its public image. The name was chosen because the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River runs through the village. Glenbrook North High School, founded in 1953…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1901
- Area
- 13 sq mi
- Elevation
- 646 ft
- ZIP code
- 60062, 60065
Northbrook’s neighbors
8 towns share a border with Northbrook.
GlenviewNorthfieldDeerfieldGlencoeNorthfield TownshipMoraine TownshipWheelingNew Trier TownshipNorthbrook
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northbrook | #61 | A | D | B+ | A+ | A+ |
| Glenview | #192 | A− | D− | B− | A | A+ |
| Northfield | #26 | A+ | D | A− | A+ | A+ |
| Deerfield | #51 | A+ | D− | A− | A+ | A+ |
| Glencoe | #11 | A+ | D− | A− | A+ | A+ |
| Northfield Township | #117 | A | D− | — | A | A+ |
| Moraine Township | #58 | A | D | — | A | A+ |
| Wheeling | #319 | B+ | C− | B+ | B+ | A− |
Northfield Township and Moraine Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Northbrook with a neighbor →
Questions about Northbrook
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Northbrook, IL a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Northbrook grades A overall, better than 95% of U.S. towns and #61 of 767 in Illinois. It grades A+ for health, B+ for safety and A+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Northbrook, IL expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
What is Northbrook, IL known for?
14 notable people were born here, including Scott Adsit and Jayne Brook.