Crestwood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Northlake
Crestwood
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 6%
vs31 · Bottom 8%
Growth
10 · Bottom 2%
vs17 · Bottom 5%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs93 · Top 25%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs92 · Top 48%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 40%
vs49 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Northlake | Crestwood | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,513 | 10,579 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,892 | $75,752 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,569 | $41,223 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,940/sq mi | 3,470/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $259,800 | $195,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,123 | $1,334 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.6% | 76.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.9% | 26.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.9" | 34.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 36.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 49.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.12 | 21.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.1% | 96.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Northlake
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Crestwood
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Northlake, IL · Crestwood, IL · How this is calculated: methodology