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Berkeley vs Northlake

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (2.7× in Northlake) and homeowners (+11.4 pts renters in Northlake).

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Berkeley, ILOne of the healthiest townsIllinois · 5,199 people
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Northlake, ILOne of the healthiest townsIllinois · 12,513 people
Swap order
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 →
NorthlakeOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 55%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#176 most walkable in IL1.8 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves All about Northlake →
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.

Jobs per worker2.7×
Northlake is more of a job hub
Northlake 1.42Berkeley 0.52
Homeowners+11.4 pts renters
Northlake has more renters
Berkeley 82%Northlake 70.6%
Size2.4×
Northlake is the bigger place
Northlake 12,513Berkeley 5,199
★ What stands out · Report cards

Berkeley places higher on 10 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 B−NorthlakeSafer than 50% of U.S. towns
Health
BBerkeleyHealthier than 58% of U.S. towns B−NorthlakeHealthier than 55% of U.S. towns
10Berkeley
8Northlake

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

Most remote workersWork · 849 towns #246#554 Highest graduation rateSchools · 669 towns #621#411 Most conserved landOutdoors · 838 towns #649#470 Cheapest rentCost of living · 840 towns #621#444 SafestSafety · 321 towns #143#200 Most walkableOutdoors · 862 towns #312#176 Most new homesHousing · 431 towns #415#357 Most activeHealth · 861 towns #671#776

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

Where they are

Berkeley and Northlake share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

BerkeleyNorthlakeBerkeleyNorthlake
Berkeley ↔ Northlake1.8 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
48 Berkeley residents work in Northlake (2.1% of its workers)
Work & commute in Berkeley →
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 →
Northlake$2,240/mo
Typical home $312K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.31% · or rent about $1,123/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
BerkeleyNorthlake
Snow a year42″42″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)47th75th
Outdoors & history
BerkeleyNorthlake
Trails0 mi2 mi
Conserved land1.3%3%
Archive photos121
Community
BerkeleyNorthlake
Library hours a week54 hrs67 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.

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.

BerkeleyNorthlake
People
Population 5,199Lowest 12,513Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.5%Lowest +4.2%Highest
Median age 33.6±5Lowest 14% below IL 41.9±3.8Highest 7% above IL
Northlake 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% 19.4%±2.9Lowest IL: 21.8%
Berkeley and Northlake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17%±5.2Lowest IL: 17% 18.9%±2.7Highest IL: 17%
Northlake and Berkeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.6%Highest IL: 37.8% 14.9%Lowest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±2.1Lowest IL: 6.3% 7.3%±3.5Highest IL: 6.3%
Northlake 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±$14kHighest about the IL average $83,892±$12kLowest about the IL average
Berkeley and Northlake 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 $259,800±$8kHighest about the IL average
Northlake 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 $1,123±$149Lowest 12% below IL
Berkeley and Northlake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,224Highest 17% above IL $6,005Lowest 13% above IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 74.2%±55.1Highest IL: 47.9% 46.7%±11.4Lowest IL: 47.9%
Berkeley and Northlake 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% 10.9%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 82%Highest IL: 67.1% 70.6%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1955Lowest 16 yrs older than IL 1957Highest 14 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest about the IL average 29 minHighest about the IL average
Work from home 14.5%±9.5Highest IL: 15.9% 8.4%±2.8Lowest IL: 15.9%
Berkeley and Northlake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.6%Lowest 4.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miHighest 8.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.52Lowest 1.42Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Chicago (27%)Chicago (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in NorthlakeFew work in Berkeley
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.3%Lowest 3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 1.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 10Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 67.4Lowest 84.5Highest
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.

Northlake neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Northlake’s Town Square.

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Bordering Berkeley

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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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