Population 39,434 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Northbrook
Household size in Northbrook
| Period | Northbrook | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.63 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Northbrook run a little small, averaging 2.54 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has edged down from 2.61 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the northeast.
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 Northbrook
| Period | Northbrook | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.7 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.5 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.0 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.3 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Northbrook skews older: half of its residents are older than 50.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 47.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only seven are older.
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 Northbrook
| Period | Northbrook | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.4% of households in Northbrook, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 16 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 Northbrook
Renters in Northbrook
| Period | Northbrook | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.3% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.1% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Northbrook is largely a place of homeowners: only 17.4% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 43.5% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Northbrook
| Period | Northbrook | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.0% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Northbrook as nationally: 9.0%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider Chicago area (7.2%). Vacancy has risen 2.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Northbrook
| Period | Northbrook | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Northbrook was built around 1976, 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 median year built has moved up from 1971 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Northbrook
| Period | Northbrook | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,615 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,702 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,905 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,327 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$712 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Northbrook runs $2,327 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $712 a month from 2006–10, a 44% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the southwest.
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 Northbrook
Bachelor's degrees in Northbrook
| Period | Northbrook | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 64.2% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 65.8% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 68.0% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 71.2% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Northbrook: 71.2% 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 is up 6.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 17 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 Northbrook
| Period | Northbrook | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.8% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.5% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.2% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.7% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Northbrook: 96.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Northbrook has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of 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 Northbrook
| Period | Northbrook | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Northbrook has been low: just 3.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Northbrook 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northbrook | 2.54 | 50.3 | 4.4% | 17.4% | 9.0% | 1976 | $2,327 | 71.2% | 96.7% | 3.2% |
| Glenview Nas | 2.57 | 46.4 | 6.5% | 31.1% | 6.7% | 1989 | $2,263 | 69.2% | 97.9% | 2.4% |
| Deerfield | 2.71 | 44.5 | 4.6% | 14.5% | 3.0% | 1972 | $2,308 | 81.1% | 98.6% | 2.9% |
| Glenview | 2.64 | 45.9 | 7.5% | 21.4% | 5.3% | 1969 | $1,878 | 63.7% | 96.0% | 4.5% |
| Northfield | 2.47 | 45.5 | 3.6% | 12.1% | 6.4% | 1971 | $2,117 | 79.5% | 99.6% | 2.1% |
| Prospect Heights | 2.38 | 45.4 | 8.3% | 35.6% | 4.4% | 1972 | $1,551 | 42.0% | 83.7% | 3.1% |
| Riverwoods | 2.77 | 43.0 | 8.2% | 26.4% | 7.3% | 1982 | $2,267 | 79.3% | 98.6% | 1.9% |
| Highland Park | 2.64 | 46.4 | 4.1% | 15.9% | 6.0% | 1963 | $2,022 | 77.9% | 97.3% | 3.3% |
| Glencoe | 3.02 | 42.9 | 3.0% | 8.0% | 14.3% | 1956 | $2,175 | 89.2% | 99.9% | 3.5% |
| Wheeling | 2.58 | 41.9 | 8.3% | 35.2% | 6.1% | 1980 | $1,819 | 40.9% | 87.8% | 4.5% |
| Bannockburn | 2.62 | 31.8 | 2.3% | 5.8% | 3.7% | 1970 | $3,456 | 81.2% | 99.3% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Teaneck, NJ · Fairburn, GA · Fairport, NY · Fort Lee, NJ · Glen Ellyn, IL · Plymouth, MI · Romeoville, IL · Shelton, CT · Sierra Vista, AZ · Streamwood, IL
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 Northbrook. 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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