Is Brooklyn, IL a Good Place to Live?
Brooklyn is a small town of 629 in Illinois, with a median household income of $19,286 and a 12.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.
Strengths: Brooklyn stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Brooklyn is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Brooklyn city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 96.3Brooklyn's overall cost of living index is 96.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Brooklyn costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Brooklyn, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $32,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $720 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $19,286 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeBrooklyn's violent crime rate is 159.8 per 100,000 residents — 58% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Brooklyn is served primarily by Brooklyn UD 188. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Brooklyn, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Brooklyn UD 188 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 16.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 47.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 91.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Brooklyn sees average highs of 40.2°F in January and 89.0°F in July, with 40.8 inches of annual precipitation and 13.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Brooklyn, IL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 40.2°F |
| Average High — July | 89.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Brooklyn, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 629 | — |
| Median Age | 29.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 12.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 95.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 29.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Brooklyn
Brooklyn, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: