Buffalo Grove vs Vernon Hills
Buffalo Grove, Illinois versus Vernon Hills, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Buffalo Grove and Vernon Hills score about the same overall (46 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Buffalo Grove | Vernon Hills |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $128k | $117k |
| Cost of Living | $62k | $62k |
| Home Value | $381k | $371k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.63% | 2.66% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.76% | 16.33% |
| Unemployment | 3.3% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.6 in | 38.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 43.1 in | 43.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 65.0 | 54.2 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 97.7 |
| Violent Crime | 148/100k | 853/100k |
| Property Crime | 615/100k | 1265/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 42,934 | 26,750 |
| Median Age | 41.6 | 40.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.51 | 0.52 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | D+25 |
| White (%) | 61.4% | 57.2% |
| Black (%) | 3.6% | 1.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.8% | 11.9% |
| Asian (%) | 25.4% | 25.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.8% | 3.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 10.4/20 | 9.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 14 mi | 18 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.1% | 94.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 82.22 | 127.48 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Buffalo Grove or Vernon Hills more affordable?
- Vernon Hills has the lower cost of living: its index is $62k, compared with Buffalo Grove's $62k and Vernon Hills's $62k. Median rent is $2k in Buffalo Grove versus $2k in Vernon Hills.
- Is Buffalo Grove or Vernon Hills safer?
- Buffalo Grove has the lower violent crime rate. Buffalo Grove reports 148/100k and Vernon Hills reports 853/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Buffalo Grove or Vernon Hills?
- The median home value is $381k in Buffalo Grove and $371k in Vernon Hills, so homes are more affordable in Vernon Hills.