| Index | Northbrook | Illinois | National |
| Cost of living | 152 | 98 | 100 |
| Groceries | 101 | 100 | 100 |
| Health care | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Housing | 273 | 95 | 100 |
| Transportation | 103 | 101 | 100 |
| Utilities | 101 | 99 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 97 | 100 | 100 |
| Household Items | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 95 | 100 | 100 |
Knowing the cost of living in Northbrook allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Northbrook stands at 152, marking it 52% higher than the national average.
If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Northbrook may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Northbrook falls within this bracket.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Northbrook, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 172.6% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Is Northbrook an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in Northbrook is 203.5% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 100.7% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Northbrook has a median household income of $192,686, which is 136.9% higher than the national average.
Transportation: If public transportation is limited or not available, residents may need to own and maintain vehicles, which can add to the cost of living. Gas, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or finance payments will all need to be paid on a monthly basis. In Northbrook, the transportation index is 2.8% higher than the national average.
Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.
Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In Northbrook, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 6.25%, and income tax rates start at 4.95%.
The Northbrook cost of living data displayed above uses a U.S. average baseline of 100 to provide a practical way to compare living expenses across cities. Housing estimates incorporate U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other values are generated using AI-assisted models based on everyday expense expectations, regional pricing trends, climate, transportation patterns, and local economic conditions. These values are designed for directional city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $217,389 | $18,116 | $5,072 | $6,522 |
| Renters | $110,760 | $9,230 | $2,584 | $3,323 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 10.25% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Illinois | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| North Chicago, IL | 30,865 | 95 | 5.0% |
| Northlake, IL | 12,696 | 102 | 1.7% |
| Hainesville, IL | 3,705 | 103 | 3.0% |
| River Grove, IL | 10,246 | 102 | 2.4% |
| Franklin Park, IL | 18,323 | 104 | 3.7% |
| Northbrook, IL | 33,971 | 152 | 51.6% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Springfield, VA | 33,971 | 145 | 44.9% |
| Florence, KY | 33,960 | 94 | 5.9% |
| Pikesville, MD | 33,960 | 128 | 28.0% |
| Fruit Cove, FL | 33,956 | 129 | 29.1% |
| Salisbury, MD | 33,988 | 105 | 4.8% |
| Northbrook, IL | 33,971 | 152 | 51.6% |
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