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Living in
Buffalo Grove.
About
Life in Buffalo Grove
If you're considering Buffalo Grove, understand that you're looking at a solidly affluent suburban community with a median household income around $130,000 and median home values in the $410,000s—this is a place where established families and professionals settle. The community is genuinely diverse: roughly 16% Asian residents and historically significant Jewish population create a multicultural environment with quality ethnic businesses and religious institutions. Your commute to Chicago would average around 27 minutes depending on where you work, and many residents actually work locally in the industrial parks or professional services sector.
Buffalo Grove at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.2%
Foreign-Born
38.1%
Broadband Internet
95.1%
of households
Population Growth
-0.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics38.1% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Buffalo Grove: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Buffalo Grove, the largest foreign-born group is from India (32.3%), and 13.4% of residents speak Russian/Slavic at home.
Under 18
24.5%
of residents
65 and Older
15.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
38.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.8%
of households
Married Couples
63.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.63
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 60% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Buffalo Grove
In Buffalo Grove, rent runs 60% above the IL average, and home values are 57% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
28.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
14.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
79.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1981
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $443,740 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Buffalo Grove and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Buffalo Grove is 0.8 percentage points lower than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Buffalo Grove Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro area
Commute26.3 min avg
How Buffalo Grove residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Buffalo Grove, most residents drive alone to work (58%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 92% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Buffalo Grove runs 92% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
27.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
429.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Buffalo Grove Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lake County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lake County, which includes Buffalo Grove, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 16 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 24 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 26 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2018 | 19 | Flood | $70,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lake County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lake County, which includes Buffalo Grove, is typically good.
Median AQI
39
Lake County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Buffalo Grove has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
38.6"
Annual Snowfall
43.1"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
122
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 18°F | 1.33" |
| Feb | 36°F | 21°F | 1.28" |
| Mar | 47°F | 30°F | 1.84" |
| Apr | 58°F | 39°F | 3.31" |
| May | 70°F | 50°F | 3.76" |
| Jun | 80°F | 60°F | 3.97" |
| Jul | 84°F | 66°F | 3.15" |
| Aug | 82°F | 65°F | 3.70" |
| Sep | 75°F | 56°F | 3.04" |
| Oct | 63°F | 45°F | 3.11" |
| Nov | 49°F | 33°F | 2.15" |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 1.64" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Buffalo Grove
Uninsured
3.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Buffalo Grove's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northwest Community Hospital 1
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Arlington Heights
Advocate Condell Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.4 mi away · Libertyville
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8 mi away · Lake Forest
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Buffalo Grove
Buffalo Grove's student/teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 68.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
68.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Buffalo Grove (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,813 students · in-state tuition $58,902 · 76% graduate · median earnings $70,470 (10 yrs after entry)
Worsham College of Mortuary Science
2.2 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 183 students · in-state tuition $20,500 · 88% graduate · median earnings $61,393 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 123 students · 57% graduate · median earnings $67,642 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 37 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Buffalo Grove
Buffalo Grove has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (37 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
37 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
58 mi awayCities Near Buffalo Grove
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Buffalo Grove?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Buffalo Grove FAQ
Is Buffalo Grove, Illinois affordable?⌄
Buffalo Grove's median rent is $2,037/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $129,395/year. Median home value is $412,300.
Is Buffalo Grove, Illinois safe?⌄
Buffalo Grove's violent crime rate was 28 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 430 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Buffalo Grove, Illinois?⌄
Buffalo Grove has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Buffalo Grove, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Buffalo Grove is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,037/month and median household income is $129,395/year. The median home value is $412,300. About 29% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Buffalo Grove, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Buffalo Grove is 26 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from