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Berkeley vs Beecher

40 miles apart. The biggest differences: typical home built (43 yrs in Berkeley) and rent (+33% in Berkeley).

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Berkeley, ILOne of the healthiest townsIllinois · 5,199 people
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Beecher, ILHomes around $320KIllinois · 4,728 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

BerkeleyOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 58%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#312 most walkable in IL0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 70%of U.S. towns we grade All about Berkeley →
BeecherHomes around $320K
Housing$320K typical home8% above the IL typical home Outdoors#301 most walkable in IL1.1 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 88%of U.S. towns we grade All about Beecher →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Typical home built43 yrs
Berkeley’s homes are older
Beecher 1998Berkeley 1955
Rent+33%
Rent runs higher in Berkeley
Berkeley $1,434Beecher $1,078
Growth since 2010+5.6 pts
Beecher has grown faster since 2010
Beecher +8.1%Berkeley +2.5%
Work in town+9.1 pts
More of Beecher’s workers stay in town
Beecher 10.7%Berkeley 1.6%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Beecher places higher on 12 of 20 IL lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Illinois ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
B+BerkeleySafer than 70% of U.S. towns ABeecherSafer than 88% of U.S. towns
Health
BBerkeleyHealthier than 58% of U.S. towns BBeecherHealthier than 65% of U.S. towns
8Berkeley
12Beecher

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most new homesHousing · 431 towns #415#55 Highest graduation rateSchools · 669 towns #621#237 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 861 towns #804#342 Most remote workersWork · 849 towns #246#551 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 862 towns #272#568 SafestSafety · 321 towns #143#49 Lowest depressionHealth · 861 towns #42#294 Lowest obesityHealth · 861 towns #233#481

Left end = #1 in Illinois. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Berkeley’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Berkeley$2,270/mo
Typical home $309K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.52% · or rent about $1,434/mo · Housing →
Beecher$2,340/mo
Typical home $320K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.47% · or rent about $1,078/mo · Housing →

The difference: $70 a month, about $900 a year, between Beecher and Berkeley.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
BerkeleyBeecher
Snow a year42″29″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)47th43rd
Outdoors & history
BerkeleyBeecher
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land1.3%2.2%
Settled—1870
National Register places—1
Archive photos125
Famous people born here—1
Community
BerkeleyBeecher
Library hours a week54 hrs46 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

40 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BerkeleyILBeecherIL
Berkeley ↔ Beecher40 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

BerkeleyBeecher
People
Population 5,199Highest 4,728Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.5%Lowest +8.1%Highest
Median age 33.6±5Lowest 14% below IL 38.5±4.1Highest about the IL average
Beecher and Berkeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.9%±9.3Highest IL: 21.8% 22.3%±4.5Lowest IL: 21.8%
Berkeley and Beecher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17%±5.2Highest IL: 17% 15.7%±2.8Lowest IL: 17%
Berkeley and Beecher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.6%Lowest IL: 37.8% 23.1%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±2.1Lowest IL: 6.3% 7%±4.1Highest IL: 6.3%
Beecher and Berkeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $85,823±$14kLowest about the IL average $103,415±$21kHighest 24% above IL
Beecher and Berkeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $246,900±$21kLowest 6% below IL $269,500±$22kHighest about the IL average
Beecher and Berkeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,434±$210Highest 13% above IL $1,078±$99Lowest 15% below IL
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,224Lowest 17% above IL $6,654Highest 26% above IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 74.2%±55.1Highest IL: 47.9% 45.7%±22.9Lowest IL: 47.9%
Berkeley and Beecher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.5%Highest IL: 11.8% 2.7%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 82%Highest IL: 67.1% 81.4%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1955Lowest 16 yrs older than IL 1998Highest 27 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest about the IL average 29 minHighest 5% above IL
Work from home 14.5%±9.5Highest IL: 15.9% 8.5%±4.4Lowest IL: 15.9%
Berkeley and Beecher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.6%Lowest 10.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miLowest 19.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.52Highest 0.50Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Chicago (27%)Chicago (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BeecherFew work in Berkeley
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.3%Lowest 2.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 1.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 67.4Lowest 68.6Highest
Illinois average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Berkeley neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Best View in Berkeley

1 neighbor in Berkeley can answer.

Beecher neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Beecher’s Town Square.

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Bordering Berkeley

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Hillside8,084 people · $247K homes
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Bellwood18,256 people · $230K homes
N
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Northlake12,513 people · $260K homes
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Melrose Park24,549 people · $276K homes

Towns like Berkeley

B
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Braceville Township6,529 people · $220K homes
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Cortland4,564 people · $233K homes
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Stickney6,952 people · $245K homes
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Diamond2,984 people · $220K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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