States › Illinois › Northfield

Is Northfield, IL expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 16 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,30431% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$174,178about $14,515/month · 100% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$878,300164% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 80% of U.S. cities. Household incomes are higher than in 94% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 5.0 years of household income. Most homes (91.8%) are owned, so rentals can be hard to find. It is a highly educated city: 80.7% of adults have a college degree.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $92,160 a year. That is $44 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Illinois cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Illinois. It is number 302 of 334 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Northfield
$2,304
Genoa
$1,040
Wilmington
$1,329
Carlinville
$911
Spring Valley
$1,012
Candlewick Lake
$1,681
Lake Barrington
$3,500+

How much do households earn in Northfield?

Under $25k
7.9%
$25k–50k
13.2%
$50k–100k
18.5%
$100k–150k
12.1%
$150k+
45.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 57.5% of households earn $100,000 or more.

How expensive is Northfield overall?

Everyday prices in Illinois overall are same as the U.S. average (index 100.0, U.S. = 100).

Housing
94
Goods (food, clothes…)
104
Utilities
85
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Northfield, so the Illinois figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Northfield

🏛️ Property tax$10,000+a year · 1.14% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$146a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Northfield

Commute to work24.8 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree80.7%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home91.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line3.2%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment2.2%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Northfield?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $3,790 a month less.

Renting
$2,304
Owning
$6,094

Owning assumes a typical $878,300 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $87,830 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Northfield, IL?

Renting in Northfield costs a median of about $2,304 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Illinois median is $1,517.

How much do I need to make to live in Northfield?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $92,160 a year, or $44 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Northfield cheap or expensive?

Northfield is rated Cheap: rent takes 15.9% of the typical household income of $174,178. It ranks 302nd cheapest of 334 Illinois cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Northfield?

The median homeowner in Northfield pays $10,000+ a year in property taxes, about 1.14% of the median home value.

Is Northfield more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Illinois are same as the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Northfield?

The median home value in Northfield is $878,300, about 5.0 times the typical yearly household income.

5,487 people live in Northfield. Numbers are typical (middle) values.