RiverwoodsVH, 2006
Riverwoods’s story
77 years in pictures
Census counts: 96 in 1960, 3,790 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 7 maps from 1900 on.
- 1949Riverwoods is settled
RiverwoodsIL
A town of 3,766, settled in 1949.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Busjack · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
3,766
2025 Census estimate · −0.7% since 2020
Typical home
$1.02M
+8.8% in a year
Household income
$249K
median
Median age
50.4
years
Jobs based here
8,000
A job hub
TownGrade
A+
#8 of 767 in IL
Why does Riverwoods grade so well?
Because it does well by almost any measure. Riverwoods earns an A+, 8th among Illinois's 767 graded towns. The median household earns $249K, its public schools beat 96% of Illinois towns on state tests and graduation, and residents are healthier than 95% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. The exception is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $1.0 million, 11.2 years of the Chicago metro’s $91K median household income. 77% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Riverwoods, above both the Illinois town median (29%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Riverwoods is more walkable than 89% of U.S. towns. On history, just 30 of Illinois’ 1,285 towns do worse.
What makes Riverwoods stand out
Where Riverwoods beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here8,000
Residents who work1,697
Work
4.7 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 99% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
32 measures vs. Illinois
22 better8 too close to call2 worse
| Widest gap | Riverwoods | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 5.7% | 15.9% |
HealthA+
Beats IL on 22 of 32 CDC measures, trails it on 2
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
OutdoorsA
#7 most trails in IL
12.8% of the town is conserved land.
Get outside
11 miles of trails in Riverwoods
12.8% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Riverwoods grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Riverwoods is from typical.
Jobs & incomeA+Open →SchoolsA+Open →HealthNorthwestern Lake Forest Hospital 6.1 miles awayA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.3 of 20; 2.9% of households have no car; 9.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →SafetyAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors13% conserved landAOpen →History2 notable people born hereDOpen →Civic life1.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 182 attractions →Wrigley Field and 152 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Riverwoods. Close and well known come first.
Big draw20 mi Stadium & arenaWrigley Field
Big draw26 mi Stadium & arenaSoldier Field
Big draw31 mi MuseumBarack Obama Presidential Center
Big draw14 mi Theme parkSix Flags Great America3.0M visitors a year
12 mi Stadium & arenaAllstate Arena
Big draw27 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 · Six Flags Great America: Feather Better, CC BY 4.0 · Allstate Arena: Nkon21, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rate Field: User Enoch Lai on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Riverwoods: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Riverwoods, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRiverwoods water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offWheeling Transfer Station - Northwest, 4 miOpenStreetMap
SchoolsTownship High School District 113Deerfield School District 1092 districts serve Riverwoods; 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 hereLake County ClerkLake County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2024
ZIP code6001560015 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 Riverwoods.
Riverwoods reports less crime than Buffalo Grove or any other graded neighbor, draws workers from Chicago and beyond and has less food insecurity than most of Illinois.
HousingCost of living grade C−
Riverwoods earns a C− for cost of living
At 11.2 years of the Chicago metro’s $91K median household income, the typical home (about $1.02M) costs more against local pay than in 99% of Illinois towns; that ratio is one input to its C− for cost of living.
The median rent in Riverwoods is $1,842 a month. Typical home values rose 8.8% in the year to September 2026. 93% of Riverwoods households own their home.
$1.02MZillow home value
| Riverwoods | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,842 a month | $1,128 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 93% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Riverwoods$1.02M
Illinois$296K
+8.8%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
OutdoorsA
Riverwoods stands out in Illinois and nationally, with trail density higher than most
Riverwoods’ trail density is 2.6 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Edward L Ryerson Conservation Area, 136 acres with 1 miles of trail. 11 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
#7for trails in IL
12.8%
conserved · 328 of 2,556 acres
11 mi
of trails · 2.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Discover Financial Park | 1.6 mi | 36 |
| 2. Edward L Ryerson Conservation Area | 1 mi | 136 |
| 3. Cahokia Flatwoods Forest Preserve | — | 29 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA+
Compared with most of Illinois and the rest of the country, fewer of Riverwoods’ adults report frequent mental distress
Its widest gap with Illinois is food insecurity: 5.7% of its 2,925 adults worry about having enough food, against 15.9% statewide. Against the 440 U.S. towns with household incomes like Riverwoods’s, it is less healthy than 81%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
11% of adults report frequent mental distress in Riverwoods. Only 1 of the 767 Illinois towns we compare have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Riverwoods. 9.6% of adults report frequent physical distress in Riverwoods.
95%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| Riverwoods | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 17% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 35% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 33% | 33% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 6.9% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
22 better8 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Riverwoods | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 5.7% | 15.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 4.9% | 13.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.4% | 7.6% |
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital
6.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
93rd
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
Most working residents commute out of Riverwoods
8,000 jobs are based in Riverwoods, 4.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here grew from 5,540 in 2013 to 8,000.
Most working residents leave Riverwoods for work: only 2% work in town. Jobs based in Riverwoods grew to 8,000 in 2023, 2,460 more than in 2013. Only 2 of the 768 Illinois towns we compare have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Riverwoods.
2%work in town
| Riverwoods | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $249,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 0.7% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.2% | 8.4% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Riverwoods2%
Chicago23%
Deerfield5%
Northbrook5%
Lincolnshire4%
11 mi
median commute distance
8,000
jobs based in Riverwoods
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 89% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyA
Less crime per resident in Riverwoods than in 89% of U.S. towns
Its A tops all 4 graded towns on its borders; Buffalo Grove (A−) comes closest. Violent crime is rare: 0 reported in 2025, 0 per 1,000 residents.
89%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Riverwoods0
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Riverwoods4
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
89th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
88th
percentile among IL towns
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
15
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Riverwoods has four seasons and pleasant summers
Riverwoods 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°
Fall43–61°
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 C+
High risk in Riverwoods, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 25 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Riverwoods.
63risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
25
paid flood claims since 1982
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Riverwoods
20pages on Riverwoods
The big questions
SchoolsA+Beat 96% of IL districtsSafetyA0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA+Better than IL on 22 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$1.02M typical home · up 8.8% in a yearWork & commuteA+$249K median household income · 8,000 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 63% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
11 within 15 miles of the center of Riverwoods
Trinity International University-IllinoisUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Deerfield1.9 mi$12,320 tuitionLake Forest CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Lake Forest6.3 mi$56,402 tuitionOakton CollegeCommunity college · Public · Des Plaines7.7 mi$3,985 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Riverwoods residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
A job hub
Every workday, about 7,962 people come to Riverwoods for work
Where Riverwoods’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
8,000jobs based in Riverwoods
2%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Riverwoods
Village in Illinois, United States
Riverwoods is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. It was established on the banks of the Des Plaines River in 1959 by local steel magnate Jay Peterson. Per the 2020 census, the population was 3,790. The corporate headquarters of CCH are located there, as well as Orphans of the Storm, an animal shelter founded in 1928 by famous dancer Irene Castle. The village used to host the annual "Arts & Riverwoods" festival.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1949
- Area
- 4.0 sq mi
Riverwoods’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Riverwoods.
At #8 in IL, it grades higher overall than all 3 graded towns on its borders; Buffalo Grove (A+) comes closest.
LincolnshireBuffalo GroveDeerfieldBannockburnRiverwoods
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverwoods | #8 | A+ | C− | A | A+ | A+ |
| Lincolnshire | #66 | A | D | B+ | A+ | A+ |
| Buffalo Grove | #31 | A+ | C− | A− | A | A+ |
| Deerfield | #51 | A+ | D− | A− | A+ | A+ |
| Bannockburn | — | — | — | B+ | A+ | A+ |
Bannockburn has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Compare Riverwoods with a neighbor →
Questions about Riverwoods
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Riverwoods, IL a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Riverwoods grades A+ overall, among the top 2% of U.S. towns and #8 of 767 in Illinois. It grades A+ for health, A for safety and A+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Riverwoods, 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 C−.
What is Riverwoods, IL known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Christina Loukas and Hal Gordon.