The Northwestern Suburbs is a region in Chicagoland, primary located in northwestern Cook, southern Lake and northern DuPage County, primarily centered along the Union Pacific Northwest Metra Line, though encompassing areas well beyond the rail line. The Northwestern Suburbs constitute the largest portion of Chicagoland outside of the City itself.

For further-out suburbs, see Fox River Valley.

Cities

• 1 Arlington Heights — A larger, suburban community in northern Cook County.
• 2 Barrington (Illinois)
• 3 Bartlett (Illinois)
• 4 Buffalo Grove
• 5 Deerfield (Illinois)
• 6 Des Plaines
• 7 Elk Grove Village — A suburban community near O'Hare International Airport.
• 8 Grayslake
• 9 Itasca
• 10 Long Grove
• 11 Morton Grove
• 12 Mount Prospect
• 13 Niles
• 14 Northbrook
• 15 Roselle
• 16 Rosemont
• 17 Schaumburg — A large suburban community and the primary retail center of the region.

Understand

Like much of Chicagoland, the Northwestern Suburbs originated from the population boom following World War II. With the influx of new residents, easy access to Chicago and boom around O'Hare International Airport, the area grew quickly and has some of the largest communities in the suburbs. Visitors will quickly note that many of these suburbs contain a mixture of 1950s style homes and modern mansions, sometimes alongside one another.

Get in

With its close proximity to O'Hare International Airport, much of the Northwestern Suburban area is accessible via both I-90 and I-94. Other major routes include US 20 and IL 53.

• 1 Chicago Executive Airport (PWK  ^IATA, formerly Palwaukee Municipal Airport). General aviation, the fourth busiest airport in Illinois