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Itasca vs Willowbrook

15 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+59% in Itasca) and jobs per worker (2.7× in Itasca).

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Itasca, ILA regional job hubIllinois · 9,355 people
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Willowbrook, ILAn outdoors townIllinois · 9,131 people
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.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,050 more a month in Itasca

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.

Itasca$3,140/mo
Typical home $451K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.07% · or rent about $1,892/mo · Housing →
Willowbrook$2,090/mo
Typical home $325K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.42% · or rent about $1,747/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,050 a month, about $12,600 a year, between Itasca and Willowbrook.

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.

Report cards

Itasca places higher on 11 of 21 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.

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
ItascaWillowbrook
Snow a year38″42″
January low19°F—
July high85°F—
Growing season (days)193d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)13th38th
Outdoors & history
ItascaWillowbrook
Trails4 mi2 mi
Conserved land7.6%2.8%
Settled18411960
National Register places—1
Archive photos—1
Famous people born here3—
Community
ItascaWillowbrook
Library hours a week65 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

15 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ItascaWillowbrookItascaWillowbrook
Itasca ↔ Willowbrook15 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.

ItascaWillowbrook
People
Population 9,355Highest 9,131Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.3%Highest +8.1%Lowest
Median age 43.1±3.1Lowest 11% above IL 45±5.2Highest 15% above IL
Willowbrook and Itasca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21%±3.9Highest IL: 21.8% 15%±2.5Lowest IL: 21.8%
Itasca and Willowbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.6%±2.6Lowest IL: 17% 26.6%±3.5Highest IL: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 52.9%Lowest IL: 37.8% 53.1%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.8%±1.7Lowest IL: 6.3% 10.4%±2.6Highest IL: 6.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $114,294±$7kHighest 37% above IL $99,239±$4kLowest 19% above IL
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $390,800±$34kHighest 48% above IL $358,600±$30kLowest 36% above IL
Itasca and Willowbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,892±$130Highest 49% above IL $1,747±$103Lowest 37% above IL
Itasca and Willowbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $8,071Highest 52% above IL $5,075Lowest 4% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 24.6%±9.4Lowest IL: 47.9% 41.8%±14.2Highest IL: 47.9%
Willowbrook and Itasca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 2%Lowest IL: 11.8% 6.6%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69.3%Lowest IL: 67.1% 72.6%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1980 9 yrs newer than IL 1980 9 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minLowest 7% below IL 27 minHighest 4% below IL
Work from home 22.8%±6.6Highest IL: 15.9% 11.7%±3.6Lowest IL: 15.9%
Work in townworking residents 7.2%Highest 2.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 13.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 4.32Highest 1.62Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Chicago (15%)Chicago (26%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WillowbrookFew work in Itasca
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.6%Highest 2.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 3.9 miHighest 1.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 14Highest 6Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 60.3Lowest 113Highest
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.

Itasca neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Itasca’s Town Square.

Willowbrook neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Willowbrook’s Town Square.

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Bordering Itasca

Towns like Itasca

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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