City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Northfield, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Northfield - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

5,683
Residents
$180,492
Median income
$807,700
Median home
$1,781
Median rent (state)

Northfield - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Northfield lands in the 97th percentile for household income and the 73rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

97th
percentile, household income
95th
percentile, home value
72nd
percentile, median rent
73rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Northfield, IL

Illinois's Northfield is a small town, with 5,683 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $180,492 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.0%. Home values in Northfield run a median of $807,700, and the median resident age is 50.5 years. About 81.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 6 residential building permits were authorized in Northfield (Construction Slowdown), down 81% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Northfield reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 785.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Illinois at 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,781 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Illinois's average monthly utility costs around $240 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

5,683 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$180,492 /yr

Poverty 4.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Northfield compare to other US cities?

Here's how Northfield stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 97% higher than other cities
Home value 95% pricier than other cities
Median rent 72% pricier than other cities
Safety 73% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Illinois and the picture shifts: Northfield ranks #192 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Northfield against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Northfield's strongest outlier among Illinois cities

Among the 1,315 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Northfield ranks #10 - the 99th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Northfield only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#27 of 1,311
98th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#17 of 1,336
77th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#10 of 1,315
99th percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#928 of 1,335
30th percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#9 of 1,336
99th percentile in Illinois

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Illinois only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

97thIncome percentile
73rdSafety percentile

97th percentile nationally for median household income · 73rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Northfield's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Northfield's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 62 Avg. percentile National median
Northfield's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Northfield's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$807,700 5th percentile more affordable than 5% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Northfield $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Northfield, IL Northfield, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Northfield, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Northfield, IL median $180,492/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Northfield, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Northfield, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 81.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
5,683
Median Income
$180,492
Median Home Value
$807,700
Median Age
50.5
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Labor force participation
59.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
81.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
785.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
18.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
766.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,550 residents5,600 residents5,650 residents5,700 residents5,750 residents5,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,741 residents 5,632 residents ▼ -1.9%
Northfield's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
6
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 31
2020 4
2021 6
2022 10
2023 5
2024 6

Permit volume decreased 81% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
54.4%
Carpool
5.5%
Public Transit
7.6%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
29.7%
Other
1.7%

Based on 2,721 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Northfield sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,781/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Genoa
5,685 people
Hillsboro
5,693 people
East Alton
5,729 people
Du Quoin
5,780 people
Carlinville
5,574 people
Carterville
5,822 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Northfield's 5,683 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Benton Park, CA
5,682 people
Lake Goodwin, WA
5,682 people
Hartford City, IN
5,685 people
Kermit, TX
5,681 people
Milton, WI
5,685 people
Elsa, TX
5,688 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Northfield's $180,492 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Harrington Park, NJ
$180,515 median income
Lansdowne, VA
$180,379 median income
Troy Hills, NJ
$180,618 median income
North Bend, WA
$180,663 median income
Manhasset, NY
$180,776 median income
Double Oak, TX
$180,208 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Northfield, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Northfield, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.0% 8.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.4% White 86.0% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 8.6% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 3.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Northfield compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Northfield (this city) 5,683 $180,492
Genoa 5,685 $79,343
Hillsboro 5,693 $48,158
East Alton 5,729 $46,926
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Northfield, IL?

What is the population of Northfield, IL? +

5,683 people live in Northfield, IL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Northfield, IL? +

The median household income in Northfield is $180,492 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Northfield? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Northfield; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

Is Northfield, IL safe? +

Northfield has a total crime rate of 785.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Northfield, IL? +

Homes in Northfield carry a median value of $807,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.