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Harvard

A city of 9,598 people in Illinois
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Headlines via Google News · Articles belong to their publishers.

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Around town

The places and views that make it Harvard

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Outdoors in Harvard

Parks & trails →
Map of Harvard: conserved land, trails and the top places to walk
Conserved land2.1%113 of 5,332 acres
Trails2.6 mi0.3 mi per sq mi
Parks & preserves712 conserved acres per 1,000 residents

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Chicago & North Western CNW 952 (SD45) & 6815 (SD40-2)1985
From Harvard’s story

Chicago & North Western CNW 952 (SD45) & 6815 (SD40-2), 1985

Photo · Wikimedia Commons

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Know Harvard

The town at a glance, and the guide to how things work

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About Harvard

City in Illinois, United States
1867Established
9,469Population
8.2 sq miArea
922 ftElevation

Harvard is a city located in McHenry County, Illinois. The population was 9,469 at the 2020 census. The city is 63 miles from the Chicago Loop and it is the last stop on the Union Pacific Northwest Line.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Living in Harvard

Housing in Harvard

$279K▲ 3.4% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Harvard home is worth about $279,000, up 3.4% in a year, 6% below the Illinois typical home.

Only 3 sales in May 2026, too few for a market read. The typical value is the steadier guide.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Harvard

B+

Safety Grade B+

Harvard reports less crime per resident than 71% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000
Harvard 0.9
Illinois 2.6
U.S. 3.3
Property crime per 1,000
Harvard 5.5
Illinois 15.6
U.S. 15.5
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Harvard

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Most working residents leave Harvard for work: only 14% work in town. The top destinations are Chicago (8%), Woodstock (6%) and McHenry (3%). Half commute less than 23 miles.

Chicago
8%
Woodstock
6%
McHenry
3%
Crystal Lake
3%
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Harvard →

Health in Harvard

B−

Health Grade B−

Healthier than 47% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Illinois

2better than IL·12worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 18 are too close to call.

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

Care nearby

Mercy Harvard HospitalHarvard · 0.7 mi · ER · rural critical access
Susana P. Castro Health CenterHarvard · 0.6 mi · sliding-scale fees
Primary careNo shortage
DentalNo shortage
Mental healthShortage · county-wide
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Harvard · CMS · HRSAHealth in Harvard →

Natural hazards in Harvard

10
Very low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 10% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves🌪️ Tornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Harvard →

Climate in Harvard

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Harvard has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 32 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

31° / 16°Winter
58° / 36°Spring
81° / 59°Summer
60° / 40°Fall
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Harvard →

Famous people from Harvard

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Where Harvard is

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Locator map of Harvard
Wikimedia Commons · Map: The original uploader was Seth Ilys at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Bordering towns

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Lawrence Harvard Lawrence
Compare side by side:Harvard vs Lawrence

How things work in Harvard

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Harvard is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01