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Northlake vs Berkeley

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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Northlake, ILOne of the healthiest townsIllinois · 12,513 people
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Berkeley, ILOne of the healthiest townsIllinois · 5,199 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.

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 →
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 →
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−NorthlakeSafer than 50% of U.S. towns B+BerkeleySafer than 70% of U.S. towns
Health
B−NorthlakeHealthier than 55% of U.S. towns BBerkeleyHealthier than 58% of U.S. towns
8Northlake
10Berkeley

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

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

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

Where they are

Northlake and Berkeley share a border

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

NorthlakeBerkeleyNorthlakeBerkeley
Northlake ↔ Berkeley1.8 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.

Northlake$2,240/mo
Typical home $312K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.31% · or rent about $1,123/mo · Housing →
Berkeley$2,270/mo
Typical home $309K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.52% · or rent about $1,434/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
NorthlakeBerkeley
Snow a year42″42″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)75th47th
Outdoors & history
NorthlakeBerkeley
Trails2 mi0 mi
Conserved land3%1.3%
Archive photos112
Community
NorthlakeBerkeley
Library hours a week67 hrs54 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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.

NorthlakeBerkeley
People
Population 12,513Highest 5,199Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.2%Highest +2.5%Lowest
Median age 41.9±3.8Highest 7% above IL 33.6±5Lowest 14% below IL
Northlake and Berkeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.4%±2.9Lowest IL: 21.8% 26.9%±9.3Highest 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+ 18.9%±2.7Highest IL: 17% 17%±5.2Lowest 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+ 14.9%Lowest IL: 37.8% 18.6%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.3%±3.5Highest IL: 6.3% 3.9%±2.1Lowest 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 $83,892±$12kLowest about the IL average $85,823±$14kHighest 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 $259,800±$8kHighest about the IL average $246,900±$21kLowest 6% below IL
Northlake and Berkeley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,123±$149Lowest 12% below IL $1,434±$210Highest 13% above IL
Berkeley and Northlake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,005Lowest 13% above IL $6,224Highest 17% above IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46.7%±11.4Lowest IL: 47.9% 74.2%±55.1Highest 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 10.9%Lowest IL: 11.8% 17.5%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 70.6%Lowest IL: 67.1% 82%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1957Highest 14 yrs older than IL 1955Lowest 16 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minHighest about the IL average 28 minLowest about the IL average
Work from home 8.4%±2.8Lowest IL: 15.9% 14.5%±9.5Highest 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 4.8%Highest 1.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.3 miLowest 9.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.42Highest 0.52Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Chicago (22%)Chicago (27%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Berkeley2% work in Northlake
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3%Highest 1.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.8 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 10Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 84.5Highest 67.4Lowest
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.

Northlake neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Northlake’s Town Square.

Berkeley neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

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Bordering Northlake

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Melrose Park24,549 people · $276K homes
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Franklin Park18,197 people · $287K homes
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Stone Park4,482 people · $242K homes
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Elmhurst45,671 people · $545K homes

Towns like Northlake

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Lyons10,339 people · $257K homes
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Cincinnati Township8,797 people · $179K homes
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Bridgeview16,849 people · $236K homes
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Jersey Township9,924 people · $169K 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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