Living in Buffalo Grove, IL

Explore Buffalo Grove and see how it fits the life you want to build.

42,891 Population Cook & Lake Counties Counties Village Place Type Illinois State
Overall Match8.7 / 10

Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.

Buffalo Grove at a Glance

Key facts and current data

Population42,891
Median Household Income$129,395
Median Home Value$412,300
Median Gross Rent$2,037
Median Age42.0
Average Household Size2.6
Unemployment2.7%
Work From Home32.1%
Homeownership79.8%
Housing Vacancy2.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.

Buffalo Grove is a mid-sized community where local neighborhoods, nearby job centers and regional access can matter as much as citywide averages. Unemployment is relatively low, which is a positive current labor-market signal.

Experience the Area

Experience Life in Buffalo Grove Before You Move

Explore Short-Term Stays in Buffalo Grove →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate

NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Buffalo Grove and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.

NarrowTheList Ratings

Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.

Housing Value3.8 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Employment4.4 / 5Lower unemployment produces a stronger rating.
Housing Stability4.0 / 5Combines homeownership and housing vacancy.
Remote Work Friendly4.6 / 5Based on the share of residents working from home.
Income Strength5.0 / 5Household income compared on a national scale.

These are location-wide baseline ratings, not your personal match score. Your own priorities can change which factors matter most.

Housing & Cost of Living in Buffalo Grove

Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau

Median Home Value$412,300
Median Gross Rent$2,037
Homeownership79.8%
Housing Vacancy2.3%
Housing Value7.6/10
Housing Stability8.0/10

Home values are comparatively balanced against local household income, although individual neighborhoods can still vary substantially. A large majority of occupied homes are owner-occupied.

Jobs, Income & Remote Work

Employment and household-income context for Buffalo Grove, IL

Median Household Income$129,395
Unemployment2.7%
Work From Home32.1%
Employment8.8/10
Remote Work Friendly9.2/10
Income Strength10.0/10

The reported unemployment rate is relatively low. Working from home is relatively common among employed residents.

Population & Household Profile

Who lives in Buffalo Grove and how households are structured

Population42,891
Median Age42.0
Average Household Size2.6

Buffalo Grove is a smaller community, so its relationship with nearby towns, employment centers and services can be especially important.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.

Climate & Weather in Buffalo Grove

Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context

NOAA climate normals for Buffalo Grove point to warm summers, cold winters, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and substantial annual snowfall.

Average Summer High84.0°F
Average Winter Low18.4°F
Annual Rainfall38.6 in.
Annual Snowfall43.1 in.

Seasonal Life in Buffalo Grove

What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.

Spring

Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.

Summer

Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.

Fall

Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.

Winter

Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.

Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.

County Intelligence

Buffalo Grove & Its Counties

Data Pending Foreclosure Activity

Buffalo Grove spans Cook and Lake counties.

Living in a community that crosses county lines can make location within Buffalo Grove especially important. Property taxes, housing characteristics, public services and other county-level factors may vary depending on which part of the community you call home.

Current NarrowTheList data for Buffalo Grove shows a population of about 42,891. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.

Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.

For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.

County relationship Cook County and Lake County
How NarrowTheList uses it

NarrowTheList connects Buffalo Grove with all 2 of its counties rather than assigning the community to only one. As additional county data becomes available, those differences can be compared alongside city-level information to help identify which parts of the area may better fit your priorities.

For someone considering a move to Buffalo Grove, the available data currently points to a relatively tight labor market. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.

Nearby Cities & Communities

Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.