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Willowbrook vs Itasca

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

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

Willowbrook$2,090/mo
Typical home $325K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.42% · or rent about $1,747/mo · Housing →
Itasca$3,140/mo
Typical home $451K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.07% · or rent about $1,892/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
WillowbrookItasca
Snow a year42″38″
January low—19°F
July high—85°F
Growing season (days)—193d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)38th13th
Outdoors & history
WillowbrookItasca
Trails2 mi4 mi
Conserved land2.8%7.6%
Settled19601841
National Register places1—
Archive photos1—
Famous people born here—3
Community
WillowbrookItasca
Library hours a week—65 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.

WillowbrookItascaWillowbrookItasca
Willowbrook ↔ Itasca15 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.

WillowbrookItasca
People
Population 9,131Lowest 9,355Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.1%Lowest +10.3%Highest
Median age 45±5.2Highest 15% above IL 43.1±3.1Lowest 11% 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 15%±2.5Lowest IL: 21.8% 21%±3.9Highest 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+ 26.6%±3.5Highest IL: 17% 14.6%±2.6Lowest IL: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 53.1%Highest IL: 37.8% 52.9%Lowest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 10.4%±2.6Highest IL: 6.3% 3.8%±1.7Lowest IL: 6.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $99,239±$4kLowest 19% above IL $114,294±$7kHighest 37% above IL
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $358,600±$30kLowest 36% above IL $390,800±$34kHighest 48% 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 $1,747±$103Lowest 37% above IL $1,892±$130Highest 49% 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 $5,075Lowest 4% below IL $8,071Highest 52% above IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 41.8%±14.2Highest IL: 47.9% 24.6%±9.4Lowest 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 6.6%Highest IL: 11.8% 2%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72.6%Highest IL: 67.1% 69.3%Lowest 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 27 minHighest 4% below IL 26 minLowest 7% below IL
Work from home 11.7%±3.6Lowest IL: 15.9% 22.8%±6.6Highest IL: 15.9%
Work in townworking residents 2.5%Lowest 7.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.3 miHighest 9.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.62Lowest 4.32Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Chicago (26%)Chicago (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ItascaFew work in Willowbrook
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.8%Lowest 7.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.5 miLowest 3.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Lowest 14Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 113Highest 60.3Lowest
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.

Willowbrook neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Willowbrook’s Town Square.

Itasca neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Itasca’s Town Square.

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Bordering Willowbrook

Towns like Willowbrook

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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