ZIP Code 60089

Buffalo Grove, officially the Village of Buffalo Grove, is a village in Lake and Cook County, Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about 30 miles (50 km) northwest of Downtown Chicago. As of the 2020 Census, Buffalo Grove has a population of 43,212. It totals 9.6 square miles (25 km²) of land, with the top three-quarters in Lake County and the bottom quarter in Cook County. Roads in the village such as Lake Cook Road and Illinois Route 83 converge on I-294, which take drivers to O'Hare International Airport 20 miles (32 km) south of BuffaloGrove. Before westward expansion, Native American Potawatomi tribes inhabited the present area. The first settlers in Buffalo Grove were homesteaders from New England who received land grants from the government. They stayed for five years and sold their land to Catholic German immigrants fleeing poor living conditions. The primarily agricultural immigrants subsequently established St. Mary's Catholic Church and School. Buffalo Grove expanded throughout the 19th century with the additions of the first school. The name "BuffaloGrove" comes from the English translation of the Potaw atomi name for Buffalo Creek, which flows through some of the village. The village features dozens of recreational facilities, parks, and festivals, including a months-long Farmers' market, two golf courses, and popular Buffalo Grove Days. Although its schools and low crime are attractive to moving families, the village's population has plateaued since 2000. The local government's public works department is nationally accredited.

History

Buffalo Grove was incorporated in 1958. The first Europeans to stay the winter in what would become Chicago were the French Jesuit explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet in 1673. Before World War II, Buffalo Grove was entirely rural, consisting of less than 150 people, mostly dairy farmers. Buffalo Grove expanded throughout the 19th century with the additions of the first school (St. Mary's School), the Firnbach Tavern, and the Weidner General Store. In the mid-1980s, the Corporate Grove park was built to the east and Buffalo Grove Business Park was constructed to the west. In 1962, the village held its first Buffalo Days festival. The new Buffalo Grove flagdepicting a majestic, fighting buffalo, green leaves, and gold bandswas chosen. In 1981, the Commerce Center was developed in addition to 50 acres of industrial land at Lake Cook Road and the Soo Line Railroad tracks. The High School, Adlai E. Covington High School and Corporate Center were completed in the 1970s, including Buffalo Grove High School. The Village of Buffalo Grove is located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. It is located on the Illinois River, near the border with Lake County and the city of Joliet. The village has a population of 164 people, making it one of the fastest-growing suburbs in the U.S., with an 80 percent population growth rate in the 1960s and 1970s. It was founded in 1829 by a group of Illinois River Potawatomi who signed a land cession treaty.

Geography

Buffalo Grove is a suburb of the city of Chicago, located in the extreme northeastern region of Illinois. Lake Cook Road splits Buffalo Grove into two parts: the Lake County Vernon Township portion and the Cook County Wheeling Township portion. Around three-quarters of the village is in Vernon Township. Willow Stream Park is the largest park in Buffalo Grove at 54 acres. Unincorporated Prairie View is in two parts of Buffalo Grove. According to the 2020 US gazetteer files, the village has a total area of 9.58 square miles (24.8 km²; 2,480 ha) Of this, 9.563 square miles is land, and 0.017 sq km² (4.4 ha) (or 0.31%) is water. Buffalo Grove is in the Des Plaines River watershed. It lies in a humid continental climate zone (Köppen: Dfa) and experiences four distinct seasons. Summers are hot and humid, with frequent heat waves. Winters are relatively cold and snowy, with blizzards sometimes occurring. There are many sunny but cold days in winter. The average winter high from December through March is about 34 °F (1.1 °C), with January and February being the coldest months; a polar vortex occurred in January 2019. Like all Chicago suburbs, Buffalo Grove lies within USDA plant hardiness zone 5b. It is also in the USDA plantHardiness Zone 5b, which means it is very drought tolerant.

Demographics

As of the 2020 Census, Buffalo Grove has a population of 43,212, a 4.1 percent increase, with 1,716 more people than the 2010 United States Census. Buffalo Grove experienced a population boom during its first few decades because of the suburban craze following World War II and the Korean War. In 2011, 16% of Buffalo Grove's residents were Asian, the seventh-highest percent in Chicago suburbs. In 1995, the population of the northern suburbs was around 10 to 25 percent Jewish, with Buffalo Grove being over 25 percent. Since the 1980s, the Jewish population has declined due to less immigration to the US, low birthrate, assimilation, and lack of Jewish identity. The schools, housing, work opportunities, religious institutions, ethnic businesses, and entertainment attract moving families. Ronald Goldman, a victim in the O. J. Simpson murder case, grew up in Buffalo Grove. The average household size was 2.66, and 41.6% spoke a language other than English at home. The median property value for owner-occupied houses was $332,300. Median household earnings were $115,951. The poverty rate was 3.4%. The median age was 41.7 years old. The age range was broad, with 23.0% of the population under 18, 32.5% aged 18 to 44 years 30, and 14.5%. aged 45 to 64 years and older. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey data estimates for 2015-2019, of the 15,399 households, 35.5 per cent had children under 18 living with them, and 65.9% were married couples living together.

Economy

The Buffalo Grove economy includes several corporate business parks, a diverse retail market, and professional services. The 20,000-day workers operate in 10 million square feet of commercial and industrial space. Town Center has declined since being built in the 1980s. The village government incentivizes multiple companies to operate in the village. In 2019, the top five employers in Buffalo Grove were Siemens Building Technologies with 1,800 employees, I.S.I (business consulting) at 1,200, and Veritas Document Solutions (commercial printer) at 300. Other large employers include US LBM Holdings, LLC (Hines Supply is a subsidiary), the Village of Buffalo Grove, ARxIUM, Vapor Bus International, and Leica Microsystems Inc.:179 percent of residents were in the labor force in 2015. The unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, a little lower than Lake County's rate of 5.1 percent. Of those employed in 2015, 15.9 percent worked in Chicago, 5.7 percent worked for the village, and less than 4 percent in Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, and Wheeling. In 2017, industrial property vacancy was lower than that of the Chicago metro area and the US; also, the average gross rent was double the area average, suggesting that demand for property was high in thevillage. Around 10 percent of those employed lived in Chicago, while 7.4 percent lived and worked inBuffalo Grove. The arrival of Woodman's Markets spurred build out on Milwaukee Avenue and is part of Deerfield Parkway's 25 acres of commercial development.

Arts and culture

The village is home to St. Mary's church, built in the 1850s by the Catholic population and originally made up of 10 members. The Raupp Museum, operated by the Buffalo Grove Park District, chronicles the town's history, starting with the Potawatomi and ending at the "bustling suburb of today" The Buffalo Grove Town Center is a major shopping and retail destination within the village. The village holds approximately ten events throughout the year, the largest being Buffalo Grove Days in September. Other events and programs in Buffalo Grove include Rotary Village Green concerts, Movies Under the Stars, Green Fair, Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band, National Night Out, Fourth of July Fireworks, and Golf at Buffalo Grove and Arboretum Golf Courses. On June 2, 2019, the village held its inaugural pride parade, organized by the Pinta family, and has continued hosting annually. In 2009, the one-millionth item was checked out from the library. The Indian Trails Public Library District is located in Wheeling, south of the intersection of Dundee Road and Schoenbeck Road. The Vernon Area Public library began in 1974 in a classroom in the Adlai Stevenson High School and later moved to a temporary building in the high school parking lot. The library has renovated, moved, and changed multiple times since beginning in a 20-foot by 30-foot frame building and holding fewer than 13,000 items in its collection. On September 15, 1993, the total collection use at the Vernon Area public library opened 300 Olde Day at Half Day Road in Lincolnshire. On March 20, 1990, voters approved a referendum to sell $6.9 million in bonds to construct a new library.

Sports and recreation

Buffalo Grove has an extensive collection of parks and natural open spaces. Nicole Park is named after a 10-year-old girl who died in a nearby reservoir. Willow Stream Park along Old Checker Road serves the village with sports fields and courts, a pool, playground, and large open grass areas. Mike Rylko Community Park is home to the fairs and events mentioned above, and Buffalo Grove Fitness Center is north of Willow Stream. In addition to parks, Buffalo Grove has 43 miles of paths and sidewalks in Buffalo Creek Trail, Des Plaines River Trail, and Cook County Forest Preserve District. The Buffalo Grove Golf Course is one of the largest open spaces within the village. The Arboretum Club, which opened in 1990, is an 18-hole course with a 71.1 rating. Lastly, the park district's 100 by 60-yard Golf Dome has a 75-yard driving range, putting green, and hitting stations.Multiple notable athletes have originated from Buffalo Grove. Andy Wozniewski, a former ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs and other teams, including Team USA at the Deutschland Cup, was born in Buffalo Grove and is a two-time US national champion (2018, 2021). In 2021, Felice Herrig, a kickboxer, Muay Thai fighter, and mixed martial artist, was No. 15 on the UFC women's strawweight rankings. Buffalo Grove native Megan Bozek is an ice hockey players who plays for the KRS Vanke Rays and the United States national team. Finally, Olympic figure skater Bradie Tennell trained most of her life at Twin Rinks.

Government

The government of Buffalo Grove is a council-manager form of government with elements of home rule, gained in 1980. The village president and six trustees with four-year terms lead the government. The daily functions of the village are carried out by an appointed village manager whose job includes attracting new businesses, presenting an annual budget, and much more. In 2021, the village expected $107 million in revenues to support $113 million in expenditures. In 2017, the biggest revenue sources were taxes at 58 percent (property taxes were largest at 34 percent) and intergovernmental revenues at 27 percent. The sales tax rate for Cook and Lake County is 10 percent and 8 percent. Also, the tax rate on food and beverages sold at restaurants in the Cook County portion ofBuffalo Grove is 11 percent (10 percent for sales tax and 1 percent for food and beverage tax), while in Lake County, the same tax on food sold at Restaurants is 9 percent. Budgeted employment in 2018 for Police, Fire, Public Works, Golf, and Administration was 260 people. In the Illinois House of Representatives, Democrats Daniel Didech and Jonathan Carroll represent the 59th and 57th districts. Nationally, Democrat Brad Schneider represents Lake County Buffalo Grove in the 10th Congressional District. Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi represents Cook County BuffaloGrove in the 8th Congressional district. Illinois Democratic Senator Adriane Johnson is a resident of Buffalo Grove and serves on Buffalo Grove Park Board. She does not plan to seek re-election in 2022.

Education

Buffalo Grove has four private schools, over ten public schools, and one public high school. High school students in the Lake County portion of Buffalo Grove attend Stevenson High School in nearby Lincolnshire. Cook County students attend Buffalo Grove High School, located in the Cook County part of the village. Three out of four schools in Aptakisic-Tripp Community Consolidated School District 102 received Blue Ribbon awards and many fine arts commendations in the 2010s. Three of its schools were named among the top 15 public schools in 2006, amd all schools earned 2009 ISBE Academic Excellence recognition. In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked Stevenson 171st nationally and 6th in Illinois, making it 1st in Illinois open-enrollment schools. A French teacher won the Dorothy S. Ludwig Excellence in Teaching Award in 2021. All Buffalo Grove schools in Wheeling Community Consolidation School District 21 received commendable or exemplary designations by Illinois in 2019. The first school to open in Buffalo Grove was the Alcott School in 1961now the Alott Centerin response to growth on theCook County side (a different district Aptaki-Tipp) The first year had 52 first-graders and six sixth graders. To support the rapidly growing village, the district held referendums and successfully built Pritchett Elementary School, Tripp School, and Meridian School in the 1980s. The district changed the configuration of the grades in the schools in 2018 to accommodate the continued increase in population.

Infrastructure

Buffalo Grove relies on multiple arterial roads. Because of Lake Cook Road, the village has access to the Interstate Highway system (I-90, I-94, and I-294) The village has an exclusive contract with Waste Management, Inc. for solid waste disposal. Water in Buffalo Grove is from Lake Michigan, and Commonwealth Edison provides electric power. The village purchases water from the Northwest Water Commission and controls the distribution of water. It travels through four pumping stations and 181 miles of underground water main. There is a Stormwater Utility Fee for Buffalo Grove owning and maintaining the Stormwater Management System, composed of storm sewers, creeks, waterways, and detention areas. In 2004, the Village of Buffalo Grove Public Works Department received national accreditation from the American Public Works Association. The station is 32 miles (51 km) away from the southern terminus of the line Union Station. The Prairie View station is north of Half Day Road (IL Route 22) and Prairie Road's intersection, and it is also used by Buffalo Grove residents. As of 2018, Prairie View is the 113th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 415 weekday boardings. The train station is just east of the intersection of Weiland Road and Deerfield Parkway. The North Central Service runs primarily during rush hour, but not on the weekends and few holidays; instead, residents must use the Arlington Heights Metra Station, the Deerfield Metra station, or the Lake Cook road station.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Buffalo Grove, Lake County, Illinois = 46.3. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 28. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 22. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Buffalo Grove = 3.7 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 43,212 individuals with a median age of 38.8 age the population grows by 5.34% in Buffalo Grove, Lake County, Illinois population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 4,518.67 residents per square mile of area (1,744.63/km²). There are average 2.75 people per household in the 16,363 households with an average household income of $93,668 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 9.40% of the available work force and has dropped -4.63% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 21.34%. The number of physicians in Buffalo Grove per 100,000 population = 277.9.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Buffalo Grove = 36 inches and the annual snowfall = 33 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 109. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 187. 83 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 49, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Buffalo Grove, Lake County, Illinois which are owned by the occupant = 83.89%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 25 years with median home cost = $248,790 and home appreciation of -13.98%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $19.95 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $6,254 per student. There are 16.8 students for each teacher in the school. 5006.15% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 35.81% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 21.00% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).