What it's like to live in Barrington
Barrington is a small city in Illinois with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Barrington deals with home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and cold, harsh winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 39" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Barrington compares
Median household income
Median home value
What it takes to move to Barrington
Based on Barrington's median rent, home value and household income
To buy
$116,500
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $58,250
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Job market
4.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Cook County is 4.8%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Cook County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 77% below US
76 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 567/100k · Barrington Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 17% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.5 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% take public transit; 34% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 79°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 17°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 89% above US
68% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (41 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Barrington's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (34% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Barrington
All Illinois guides →Moving to Lake Zurich →
4 mi away · pop. 19,832
Rent $1,909/mo · Income $135,968
Compare with Barrington →Moving to Hoffman Estates →
6 mi away · pop. 51,175
Rent $1,734/mo · Income $106,806
Compare with Barrington →Not sure Barrington is the one?
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