Northbrook Commute Time Map & Patterns
HelpCommuting in Northbrook, Illinois: how long it takes, when people leave home and how they get to work. Ask Map AI about any address.
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Commute Time Burden in Northbrook: Annual Hours and Cost
Commuters in Northbrook spend about 46 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 191 hours, about 8.0 full days, spent commuting. That is 3% less time on the road than the Illinois average of 23.6 minutes each way, a difference of 0.7 minutes.
Northbrook holds about 0.3% of Illinois's population but accounts for roughly 0.2% of its total commuting time.
Working from home just 2 days a week in Northbrook would save about 76 hours of drive time a year, worth roughly $2,366 at the same national wage assumption used above.
| Area | One-Way Commute | Daily Round-Trip | Yearly Time Spent | Estimated Yearly Cost | Local Road Traffic (VPD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northbrook | 22.9 min | 45.8 min | 191 hrs/yr | $5,915 | 3,037 |
| Illinois | 23.6 min | 47.3 min | 197 hrs/yr | $6,104 | 1,547 |
| United States | 22.4 min | 44.8 min | 187 hrs/yr | $5,790 | 1,355 |
The estimated yearly cost applies a single national rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area - treat it as a rough estimate, not a paycheck figure. Local road traffic counts, vehicles per day on non-highway roads, come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Northbrook Commute Map
On average, it takes 22.9 minutes to get to work in Northbrook. That's 2% longer than the 22.4-minute U.S. average.
The most common departure window is 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM, followed by 08:00 AM – 08:29 AM. Driving is the most common commute choice, followed by working from home. About 30.9% work from home.
How People Get to Work in Northbrook
- Car: 60.0%
- Worked at Home: 30.9%
- Public Transportation: 5.8%
- Walked: 1.8%
- Other: 0.8%
- Bicycle: 0.5%
- Taxi: 0.3%
- Motorcycle: < 0.1% unusually low
Riding a motorcycle is essentially absent in Northbrook, versus 0.1% in Illinois.
Commute Mode Trends in Northbrook, 2009-2024
This chart shows how workers in Northbrook get to work, as a share of all workers aged 16 and over, across 16 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) releases from 2009 to 2024. Each release is a 5-year estimate: the 2024 figures cover surveys taken from 2020 to 2024. Because neighboring releases share most of their survey years, the lines move gradually, and a sudden change such as the rise of remote work in 2020 spreads across several releases. Hover over or tap a line to highlight it, and use the legend to show or hide a mode. Driving starts hidden so the smaller modes stay readable.
Show commute mode data by year
| Year | Car | Worked at Home | Public Transportation | Walked | Other | Bicycle | Taxi | Motorcycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 81.3% | 7.3% | 9.0% | 1.1% | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| 2010 | 80.0% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 1.2% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| 2011 | 79.6% | 7.8% | 10.0% | 1.5% | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| 2012 | 79.3% | 7.8% | 10.2% | 1.9% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| 2013 | 78.2% | 7.9% | 10.9% | 2.1% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 75.8% | 9.3% | 11.5% | 2.3% | 0.7% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 75.4% | 9.3% | 12.1% | 1.9% | 0.8% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 76.9% | 10.6% | 10.0% | 1.3% | 0.7% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2017 | 75.2% | 10.7% | 11.4% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2018 | 74.1% | 11.6% | 11.7% | 0.7% | 1.4% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2019 | 75.1% | 10.4% | 11.7% | 1.3% | 1.0% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2020 | 71.4% | 14.3% | 11.7% | 1.2% | 0.9% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2021 | 66.4% | 19.6% | 10.2% | 2.0% | 1.1% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 64.8% | 23.9% | 7.9% | 1.9% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 63.6% | 26.2% | 6.7% | 2.0% | 0.9% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| 2024 | 60.0% | 30.9% | 5.8% | 1.8% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
Driving was the most common way to get to work in every release from 2009 to 2024. Overall its share fell from 81.3% in 2009 to 60.0% in 2024, down 21.3 percentage points. It has fallen in each of the last 5 releases.
Working from home gained the most ground in Northbrook: its share of workers rose from 7.3% in 2009 to 30.9% in 2024, up 23.6 percentage points. Most of that increase, 20.5 points, came in the releases after 2019, which include the pandemic years.
Public transit lost the most ground, falling from 9.0% to 5.8% of workers (down 3.2 percentage points).
Working from home overtook public transit to become the 2nd most common choice in the 2020 release and has stayed ahead since.
Commute Start Times in Northbrook
What Time Do People Leave for Work in Northbrook?
The bars show when commuters in Northbrook leave home for work, as a share of everyone who commutes (people who work from home are not counted), from the 2024 ACS 5-year estimates. The thin violet marks show Illinois for comparison. Hover over or tap a row for the exact numbers.
| 12:00-4:59 AM |
12:00-4:59 AM
Northbrook3.3%
Illinois5.6%
|
3.3% |
|---|---|---|
| 5:00-5:29 AM |
5:00-5:29 AM
Northbrook0.7%
Illinois4.3%
|
0.7% |
| 5:30-5:59 AM |
5:30-5:59 AM
Northbrook4.0%
Illinois4.9%
|
4.0% |
| 6:00-6:29 AM |
6:00-6:29 AM
Northbrook5.0%
Illinois9.0%
|
5.0% |
| 6:30-6:59 AM |
6:30-6:59 AM
Northbrook5.7%
Illinois9.4%
|
5.7% |
| 7:00-7:29 AM |
7:00-7:29 AM
Northbrook11.4%
Illinois14.3%
|
11.4% |
| 7:30-7:59 AM |
7:30-7:59 AM
Northbrook20.5%
Illinois11.6%
|
20.5% |
| 8:00-8:29 AM |
8:00-8:29 AM
Northbrook16.9%
Illinois11.2%
|
16.9% |
| 8:30-8:59 AM |
8:30-8:59 AM
Northbrook7.7%
Illinois5.2%
|
7.7% |
| 9:00-9:59 AM |
9:00-9:59 AM
Northbrook13.8%
Illinois6.1%
|
13.8% |
| 10:00-10:59 AM |
10:00-10:59 AM
Northbrook4.0%
Illinois2.9%
|
4.0% |
| 11:00-11:59 AM |
11:00-11:59 AM
Northbrook0.8%
Illinois1.5%
|
0.8% |
| 12:00-3:59 PM |
12:00-3:59 PM
Northbrook4.8%
Illinois7.7%
|
4.8% |
| 4:00-11:59 PM |
4:00-11:59 PM
Northbrook1.4%
Illinois6.3%
|
1.4% |
Northbrook Illinois Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates
The busiest time to head out in Northbrook is 7:30-7:59 AM, when 20.5% of commuters leave home, compared with 11.6% across Illinois. Early starts are less common than in Illinois: 8.0% of commuters leave before 6 AM, versus 14.8% there. The morning rush is more concentrated than in Illinois: 54.6% of departures fall in the two hours from 6:30 to 8:29 AM, versus 46.5% there. About 1 in 4 commuters (24.9%) leave at 9 AM or later, which usually points to shift work, flexible hours or part-time jobs.
When people leave matters as much as how far they go. Rush-hour traffic shrinks how much ground a 20-minute trip covers, so a trade area drawn as a simple circle often takes in neighborhoods that customers or staff would never drive from and misses others that are an easy trip. A drive-time zone, also called an isochrone, outlines every place within a set number of minutes of an address, which makes it the more honest way to size a store's catchment, a hiring area or the commute from a new home.
See it for yourself on the interactive map: click any spot in Northbrook, pick a 5, 10, 15 or 30-minute drive and see the local demographics of the people who live within that exact drive time.
Is Northbrook Waking Up Earlier? Typical Departure Time, 2009-2024
Each line follows the typical (median) departure time: the moment by which half of commuters have already left home. Higher on the chart means a later start. Setting Northbrook next to Illinois and the U.S. shows whether local mornings are drifting earlier or later than everyone else's. The figures span 16 ACS 5-year releases, so changes build up gradually rather than jumping from one year to the next.
Show typical departure times by year
| Year | Northbrook | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 7:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2010 | 7:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2011 | 7:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2012 | 7:57 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2013 | 7:55 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:39 AM |
| 2014 | 7:56 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:39 AM |
| 2015 | 7:51 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2016 | 7:51 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2017 | 7:52 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2018 | 7:51 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2019 | 7:49 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2020 | 7:54 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2021 | 8:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2022 | 7:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:37 AM |
| 2023 | 7:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:38 AM |
| 2024 | 7:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:38 AM |
In 2024, half of commuters in Northbrook were on the road by 7:59 AM, 2 minutes later than in 2009 (7:57 AM). Illinois followed the same path, with the typical start moving 1 minute later. Commuters in Northbrook now leave 21 minutes later than the typical American commuter (7:38 AM). Since the 2019 release, which covers the years just before the pandemic, the typical start in Northbrook has moved 10 minutes later.
How does Northbrook's commute time compare?
| Metric | Northbrook | Illinois | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Commute Time | 22.9 min | 23.6 min | 22.4 min |
| Departure Window | 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM | 07:00 AM – 07:29 AM |
| Secondary Departure Window | 08:00 AM – 08:29 AM | 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM | 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM |
| Work From Home | 30.9% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Walked | 1.8% | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| Public Transit | 5.8% | 5.8% | 3.2% |
The average commute time in Northbrook is 22.9 minutes, shorter than the 23.6 minutes in Illinois.
The share of commuters using public transit is about the same as Illinois. 1.8% commute by walking, lower than the 2.8% in Illinois.
Northbrook, IL Commute Compared With Nearby Cities
How Northbrook, IL compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | One-way commute | Work from home | Typical departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northbrook, IL | 32,185 | 22.9 min #2/3 | 30.9% #1/3 | 7:59 AM #1/3 |
| Glenview, IL | 47,742 | 23.7 min | 23.2% | 8:05 AM |
| Highland Park, IL | 26,861 | 22.6 min | 26.4% | 8:07 AM |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about commuting in Northbrook, Illinois.
Is commuting expensive in Northbrook, Illinois?
Commuters here spend an estimated 191 hours a year on the road, worth roughly $5,915 at a typical national wage. That's 3% less than the typical Illinois commuter spends.
What time should you leave for work to avoid traffic in Northbrook, Illinois?
Traffic peaks between 07:30 AM – 07:59 AM in Northbrook, Illinois. Leaving before or after this window is the single easiest way to avoid the heaviest local congestion, though 08:00 AM – 08:29 AM also sees a secondary bump.
How much money can remote workers save in Northbrook, Illinois?
About 30.9% of workers here already work from home. Working from home just 2 days a week in Northbrook would save about 76 hours of drive time a year, worth roughly $2,366 at the same national wage assumption used above.