Population 39,489 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Buffalo Grove
Household size in Buffalo Grove
| Period | Buffalo Grove | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.59 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.56 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.67 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.67 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
At 2.67 people per household, Buffalo Grove sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.59 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Buffalo Grove
| Period | Buffalo Grove | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.6 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.0 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.0 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.7 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Buffalo Grove skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.7, against 40.1 nationally. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the south.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Buffalo Grove
| Period | Buffalo Grove | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Buffalo Grove: 4.9% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Only 26 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Buffalo Grove
Renters in Buffalo Grove
| Period | Buffalo Grove | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.8% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.3% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.4% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Buffalo Grove is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.4% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 35.3% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Buffalo Grove
| Period | Buffalo Grove | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.1% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.3% of homes in Buffalo Grove are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Buffalo Grove has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Illinois cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Buffalo Grove
| Period | Buffalo Grove | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Buffalo Grove was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the wider Chicago area, where the median home dates to 1970. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the south.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Buffalo Grove
| Period | Buffalo Grove | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,371 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,496 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,822 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,164 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$794 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Buffalo Grove runs $2,164 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $794 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Buffalo Grove
Bachelor's degrees in Buffalo Grove
| Period | Buffalo Grove | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 58.5% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 62.7% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 65.1% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 67.7% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Buffalo Grove: 67.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 9.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only 29 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Buffalo Grove
| Period | Buffalo Grove | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.4% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.8% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.3% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.6% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Buffalo Grove: 96.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Buffalo Grove has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Illinois cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Buffalo Grove
| Period | Buffalo Grove | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Buffalo Grove has been low: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Buffalo Grove compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Grove | 2.67 | 42.7 | 4.9% | 18.4% | 4.3% | 1981 | $2,164 | 67.7% | 96.6% | 2.8% |
| Wheeling | 2.58 | 41.9 | 8.3% | 35.2% | 6.1% | 1980 | $1,819 | 40.9% | 87.8% | 4.5% |
| Lincolnshire | 2.65 | 47.6 | 5.0% | 22.3% | 6.6% | 1987 | $2,761 | 76.4% | 97.6% | 2.7% |
| Long Grove | 2.82 | 47.6 | 7.1% | 14.2% | 4.3% | 1991 | $2,424 | 73.8% | 97.7% | 3.8% |
| Riverwoods | 2.77 | 43.0 | 8.2% | 26.4% | 7.3% | 1982 | $2,267 | 79.3% | 98.6% | 1.9% |
| Indian Creek | 2.72 | 41.4 | 8.5% | 22.2% | 1.3% | 1986 | $1,612 | 58.7% | 93.2% | 2.9% |
| Palatine | 2.56 | 41.0 | 11.0% | 34.1% | 5.7% | 1977 | $1,705 | 50.6% | 90.7% | 3.7% |
| Kildeer | 2.83 | 43.7 | 6.0% | 4.5% | 4.7% | 1991 | $2,345 | 75.4% | 95.2% | 4.3% |
| Arlington Heights | 2.51 | 43.4 | 7.1% | 26.1% | 5.7% | 1973 | $1,853 | 59.3% | 95.2% | 3.3% |
| Prospect Heights | 2.38 | 45.4 | 8.3% | 35.6% | 4.4% | 1972 | $1,551 | 42.0% | 83.7% | 3.1% |
| Vernon Hills | 2.60 | 42.3 | 6.4% | 30.1% | 4.2% | 1990 | $1,875 | 69.3% | 96.9% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Hope Mills, NC · Streamwood, IL · Fitchburg, MA · Fort Lee, NJ · Freehold, NJ · Gillette, WY · Haines City, FL · Hallandale Beach, FL · Hampton, GA · Sherwood, AR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Buffalo Grove. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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