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Village in Illinois, United States

Northbrook

 

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Northbrook

 

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Northbrook, Illinois
Village
Downtown Northbrook, as seen from Shermer Rd.
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Interactive map outlining Northbrook
Location of Northbrook within Cook County, Illinois
Northbrook   Show map of Greater Chicago

Coordinates: 42°7′45″N 87°50′27″W / 42.12917°N 87.84083°W / 42.12917; -87.84083^[1]CountryUnited StatesStateIllinoisCountyCookTownshipsNorthfield and WheelingIncorporated1901Government

 • TypeCouncil–manager • Village PresidentKathryn L. Ciesla • Village Board

 • Village ManagerCara PavlicekArea

13.31 sq mi (34.46 km²) • Land13.24 sq mi (34.29 km²) • Water0.066 sq mi (0.17 km²)  0.45%Elevation

646 ft (197 m)Population

35,222 • Density2,660.2/sq mi (1,027.12/km²)DemonymNorthbrookianStandard of living (2009-11)

 • Per capita income$51,719 • Median home value$519,000Time zoneUTC-06:00 (Central) • Summer (DST)UTC-05:00 (Central)ZIP code(s)

Area code(s)847/224Geocode53481FIPS code17-53481GNIS ID2399526Commuter RailWebsitewww.northbrook.il.us

Northbrook is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb of Chicago in the greater North Shore, part of a collection of upscale residential communities north of Chicago. The population was 35,222 at the 2020 census.^[4] It is within Northfield Township, Illinois, bordering Lake County.

When incorporated in 1901, the village was known as Shermerville in honor of Frederick Schermer, who donated the land for its first train station. The village changed its name to Northbrook in 1923 as an effort to improve its public image. The name was chosen because the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River runs through the village.^[5]

Glenbrook North High School, founded in 1953 as Glenbrook High School, is located in Northbrook. The village is also home to the Northbrook Park District,^[6] the Northbrook Court shopping mall, the Ed Rudolph Velodrome, the Chicago Curling Club, and the Northbrook Public Library.

Members of the Potawatomi tribe were the earliest recorded residents of the Northbrook area. After signing the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, the Potawatomi ceded their Illinois lands and moved to a place near Council Bluffs, Iowa.^[7] Afterward, Joel Sterling Sherman moved from Connecticut with his family and bought 159 acres (64 ha) of land in the northwest quarter of Section 10 for $1.25 per acre; Northbrook's downtown is located on this site.^[8] A German immigrant named Frederick Schermer donated a portion of the land he bought from Sherman to be used for the town's first railroad station, which was named after him.^[9] By the 1870s, Shermerville (which also took its name from Shermer) was a farming community. In 1901 the community was incorporated as the Village of Shermerville after a close referendum for incorporation. At the time of incorporation, it had 311 residents and 60 houses. In these early years, Shermerville became notorious for rowdy gatherings at its five saloons; by 1921, therefore, residents believed that the name "Shermerville" had a negative reputation and sought to change it.^[10] A renaming contest was held, and the name "Northbrook" was submitted by the US postmaster (and then President of the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association)^[11] Edward Landwehr. Landwehr was the son of Herman and Anna Helene Landwehr, both German immigrants and early settlers in the community and for whose family Landwehr Road in Northbrook is named. In 1923, "Northbrook", the winning name, was adopted. At the time, Northbrook had 500 residents. Later on, after the end of World War II, Northbrook's population began to rapidly increase.^[12] In 1997, President Bill Clinton visited Northbrook to congratulate the 8th-grade students of Northfield Township (which is mainly Northbrook)^[13] for getting the highest score on a world science test, and for getting the second-highest score on a world math test.^[14] Between 1950 and 1980, the town's population rose from 3,319 to 30,735. Northbrook was the first community not bordering Lake Michigan to filter Lake Michigan water for public use.^[15] Owing to the suburbanization of the community, the last working farm in Northbrook, the Wayside Farm, was sold and closed in 1987.^[15]

Northbrook is a suburb of the city of Chicago, located at

42°7′45″N 87°50′27″W / 42.12917°N 87.84083°W / 42.12917; -87.84083 (42.129226, −87.840715).^[16] in the extreme northeastern region of Illinois. Whilst the vast majority of the village lies within Northfield Township,^[17] its northwest corner is situated in Wheeling Township.^[18] Northbrook shares a border with Northfield to its southeast, Glenview and Prospect Heights to its southwest and south, Glencoe directly east, Highland Park to its northeast, Deerfield directly north, Riverwoods to its northwest, and Wheeling directly west.^[19] Techny, once a separate community, was annexed by Northbrook in 1989^[20] and predominantly lies south of Voltz Road and stretches south to border Glenview.^[21] Interstate 294 curves along Northbrook's western edge while the Edens Spur marks most of the village's northern boundary. Illinois Route 68 stretches west from Wheeling into Northbrook, terminating at the Edens Expressway near Glencoe. In addition, a portion of Illinois Route 43 cuts through Northbrook.

According to the 2020 US gazetteer files, the village has a total area of 13.30 square miles (34.4 km²; 3,440 ha), of which 13.24 square miles (34.3 km²; 3,430 ha) is land, and 0.07 square miles (0.18 km²; 18 ha) (or 0.45%) is water.^[1] Situated along the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River, Techny Prairie Park and Fields is the largest park in Northbrook at 113.82 acres and features picnic areas, a sled hill, batting cages, the nine-hole Anetsberger Golf Course^[22][23] and Techny Prairie Activity Center, a 44,200 square foot facility housing fitness equipment and studios, an indoor track, pickleball courts, and more.^[23] One of the biggest lakes in Northbrook, Lake Shermerville, is located within Wood Oaks Green Park, a 55.9 acre open space with fishing platforms, tennis courts, a playground, bike trail, and more.^[24][25] Northbrook lies within the Chicago/Calumet Rivers watershed.^[26][27]

From 1947 until 1988, Northbrook used a single area code, 312.^[28] However, in 1988, the 312 area code was made exclusive to Chicago and the 708 area code was introduced.^[29] Then, in 1996, the 708 area code was split into three: 708, 630, and 847.^[30] Currently, Northbrook uses the 847 area code as well as the 224 area code^[31] which was introduced in 2002.^[32]

Due to its proximity to the city, Northbrook's climate shares many of the same traits as Chicago. Northbrook lies in a humid continental climate zone (Köppen: Dfa) and experiences four distinct seasons.^[33] Northbrook receives an average of 37.82 inches (961 mm) of precipitation each year.^[34] According to MyForecast, Northbrook's record high is 104 °F (40 °C), and the record low is -24 °F (-31.1 °C).^[35] Summers are hot and humid, with frequent heat waves. July is the hottest month, and the daily average temperature is 82 °F (27.7 °C), while the daily low temperatures are around 66 °F (18.8 °C).^[36] On average, summer temperatures reach at least 90 °F (32 °C) on as many as 16 days.^[35] Winters are relatively cold and snowy, with blizzards sometimes occurring, as in 2011.^[37] There are many sunny but cold days in winter. The average winter high from December through March is about 36 °F (2.2 °C), with January and February being the coldest months; a polar vortex occurred in January 2019. Spring and autumn are mild, short seasons. Dew point temperatures in the summer range from an average of 56 °F (13.3 °C) in June to 62 °F (16.7 °C) in July.^[35] Like all Chicago suburbs, Northbrook lies within USDA plant hardiness zone 5b.^[38]

As of the 2020 census^[42] there were 35,222 people, 12,749 households, and 9,347 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,647.28 inhabitants per square mile (1,022.12/km²). There were 14,209 housing units at an average density of 1,067.94 per square mile (412.33/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 77.53% White, 0.76% African American, 0.07% Native American, 16.35% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 4.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.41% of the population.

There were 12,749 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.61% were married couples living together, 5.79% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.68% were non-families. 24.98% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.31% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.06 and the average family size was 2.55.

The village's age distribution consisted of 20.8% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 17.5% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 25.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the median household income in Northbrook was $150,236 in 2022.^[43]

Northbrook is home to a diverse religious community including Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Hindus.

The North Shore is known for having a significant Jewish population;^[47][48] Northbrook has eight synagogues,^[49] a K-8 Jewish Day School,^[50] a branch of JCC Chicago,^[51] and Hebrew language courses at its high school.^[52]

Besides Judaism, Protestantism and Catholicism are major religions in Northbrook. Northbrook has many churches, including the St. Nortbert Catholic Church,^[53] the Village Presbyterian Church of Northbrook,^[54] the Northbrook United Methodist Church,^[55] the St. Giles Episcopal Church,^[56] and the Northbrook Covenant Evangelical Church.^[57] There is also a small Eastern Orthodox community.

The Society of the Divine Word constructed Northbrook's Techny Towers in 1901 to house their North American headquarters and St. Joseph's Technical School, which operated for twelve years; Techny's name is derived from this school. St. Mary's Mission Seminary, the first of its kind which prepared priests and brothers for foreign missions, was opened by the Divine Word Missionaries in 1909.^[58][59][60]

The Islamic Cultural Center of Greater Chicago is a mosque located in Northbrook.^[61] Nearby, the Hanuman Mandir of Greater Chicago is in Glenview^[62] and the Bahá'í House of Worship is in Wilmette.^[63]

Northbrook has a workforce population of 27,058 people with 15,219 who are employed, according to a 2018 estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau.^[64] The village has over 3,000 businesses providing more than 45,000 jobs, surpassing its population by over 10,000 positions.^[65] Northbrook’s economy is centered around the service industry, primarily professional services, health care, administration, retail, and manufacturing.^[66] The village has over 2.4 million square feet of commercial space, 1 million of which is at Northbrook Court.^[66][67] The community’s largest employer at 8,000 personnel^[68] is Allstate, which is based in an unincorporated area of Northbrook.^[69][70] In 2021, the company announced it would sell the property.^[71] UL, a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory,^[72] is headquartered in Northbrook and employs 2,000 workers.^[68] Bell Flavors & Fragrances and Crate & Barrel are also located in the village.^[73][74]

Additionally, Northbrook is a base for several multinational corporations including the North American headquarters of Astellas,^[75] a Japanese pharmaceutical company, and Italian-based Barilla,^[76] the largest pasta company in the world.^[77][78]

Approximately 13% of Northbrook workers are employed at businesses inside the city limits, while about 87% commute elsewhere.^[79] The majority of the city's employed residents (67%) commute to work in single-occupant vehicles, while 5 percent use carpools and 10 percent use public transportation.^[64] Northbrook workplaces have employees who live across Cook county, with 5 percent from within the village, 18.9% from Chicago, 2.4% from Glenview, and 2.2% from Arlington Heights and Wheeling.^[79]

The village’s retailers had total sales of $1 billion in 2022 and are mostly concentrated in strip malls inside corridors near major roads including Sanders Road, Skokie Boulevard, and Lake Cook Road.^[66][80] Northbrook Court opened in 1976 and has 103 storefronts including shops, restaurants, and an AMC movie theater, although nearly half of the mall’s spaces are unoccupied due to the loss of major retailers and anchor tenants caused in part by the retail apocalypse and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on retail.^[81][82][83]

Founded in 1973, the Northbrook Historical Society works to preserve Northbrook's heritage and educate people about it.^[84] It operates a museum located in the former Northfield Inn.^[85]

Founded in 1980, the Northbrook Symphony is a nonprofit that plays orchestral music in the town.^[86]

Northbrook's largest event is Northbrook Days, a multi-day festival typically held every year towards the end of the summer.^[87] It features carnival games, roller coasters and amusement rides, food vendors, live music, and raffles. Another prominent event is the Farmers' Market held every Wednesday from June to October in the Meadow Shopping Plaza parking lot on the corner of Cherry Lane & Meadow Street in downtown Northbrook.^[88] There, vendors sell locally made goods such as produce, cheese, pies, and condiments.^[89]

Northbrook has many parks and golf courses. Parks in Northbrook include Village Green Park, Techny Prairie Park and Fields, Wood Oaks Green Park, Stonegate Park, Crestwood Park, and Greenfield Park. Golf courses in Northbrook include Heritage Oaks Golf Club (formerly Sportsman's Country Club),^[90] Anetsberger Golf Course, and Willow Hill Golf Course. Other facilities in the town include the Ed Rudolph Velodrome, Techny Prairie Activity Center, Northbrook Sports Center, Northbrook Leisure Center, and Meadowhill Aquatic Center.^[91] The Skokie Valley Trail passes through the town.

In recognition of the village's vast greenspace, the Arbor Day Foundation has designated Northbrook as a Tree City U.S.A. community since 1994.^[92]

The Northbrook Park District, headquartered in Northbrook, operates recreational facilities in Northbrook.^[93] The 17.25-square-mile (44.7 km²) park district, formed in June 1927, serves all of Northbrook and some unincorporated areas within Cook County. The park district lies within the townships of Northfield and Wheeling.^[94]

Situated along the Des Plaines River Trail upon the Des Plaines River, the River Trail Nature Center houses educational exhibits and events about local biology and wildlife.^[95] Among the region's 194 tree species, 37% are native to the area^[96] including the American sycamore, the common hackberry, and Northbrook's village tree, the Bebb Oak.^[97] Other native plants include white wild indigo, Junegrass, and ninebark.^[98]

Northbrook is in the Forest Preserve District of Cook County's Region 3 and Region 4, which encompass nature such as Dam No. 1 Woods-East and Somme Nature Preserve, Prairie Grove, and Woods.^[99]

The Village of Northbrook adopted a council-manager form of government after a 1953 referendum. The Village President, six-member Board of Trustees, and the Village Clerk, all of whom must be residents of Northbrook, are elected at large for staggered four year terms. The board establishes policies and hires a village manager to operate the day-to-day business.^[100][101] The most recent board election took place in 2025, with Kathryn Ciesla winning as village president. The current board consists of:

The Northbrook Police Department provides law enforcement and the Northbrook Fire Department provides fire suppression and emergency medical services for the village and its residents.^[102][103] Civil and criminal law cases are heard in the Cook County Circuit Court of the State of Illinois court system,^[104] or in the Northern District of Illinois in the federal system.^[105] In the state court, the public prosecutor is the Illinois state's attorney; in the Federal court it is the United States attorney.

Like other suburbs in the area, Northbrook is considered a Democratic stronghold. In the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama received over 60% of Northfield Township's vote,^[106] while, likewise, Joe Biden earned more than 66% of votes in 2020.^[107]

At the national level, Northbrook is represented by Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, both Democrats. The northern and western parts of the village are part of Illinois's 10th congressional district, which is currently represented by Brad Schneider, a Democrat from Deerfield. The southern and eastern parts of the village are part of Illinois's 9th congressional district, which is currently represented by Jan Schakowsky, a Democrat from Evanston.

At the state level, Northbrook is a part of the 9th Senate District represented by Laura Fine (D-Glenview), the 29th Senate District represented by Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield), and the 30th Senate District represented by Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove).^[108] Additionally, the village lies within the 17th House District represented by Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview), the 18th House District represented by Robyn Gabel (D-Chicago), the 57th House District represented by Jonathan Carroll (D-Northbrook), who has an office in Northbrook, the 58th House District represented by Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield), and the 59th House District represented by Daniel Didech (D-Buffalo Grove).^[109][110] At the county level, the municipality lies within District 14 represented by Scott R. Britton (D-Glenview).^{[111][112][113]}

The North Shore is known for its low crime rates. In fact, Northbrook was ranked by MoneyGeek, a financial planning website, as being the safest town in Illinois, largely due to its low ($116 per capita) expenditure on crime.^[114] Northbrook's crime rate is significantly lower than the national average.^[115] That being said, thefts in Northbrook are not uncommon^[116] and have made headlines.^[117][118] Moreover, a murderer who acted in Northbrook was on the U.S. Marshals ’15 Most Wanted Fugitives’ list until 2024.^[119]

Northbrook is served by multiple school districts. Elementary districts District 27, District 28, District 30, and District 31 serve and are all headquartered in Northbrook.^[120][121] District 225 is the high school district serving the majority of Northbrook. Glenbrook North High School is located in and serves most of Northbrook.

District 27 operates three schools in Northbrook, including Hickory Point Elementary School (K-2), Shabonee Elementary School (3–5), and Wood Oaks Junior High School (6–8). District 28 operates three (K-5) elementary schools, Meadowbrook Elementary School, Greenbriar Elementary School, and Westmoor Elementary School.^[122] Northbrook Junior High School (6–8) is the district's middle school.^[123] District 30 operates Wescott Elementary School (K-5) in Northbrook and Willowbrook Elementary School (K-5) in Glenview, with both schools serving Northbrook.^[122] Maple School (6–8) in Northbrook is District 30's middle school.^[123] District 31 is served by Winkelman Elementary School (K-5) in Glenview^[122] and Field Junior High School (6-8) in Northbrook.^[123] District 225 includes Glenbrook North High School (9-12) in Northbrook, which serves a majority of the village.

Additionally, Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21, headquartered in Wheeling,^[124] also serves a very small portion on the northwest side of Northbrook.^[121][125] Areas within CCSD 21 are served by two schools,^[126] Walt Whitman Elementary School in Wheeling^[127] and Holmes Junior High School in Wheeling.^[128] The western area within CCSD 21 is served by Township High School District 214. This area is a part of the Wheeling High School attendance area.^[129]

Sunset Ridge School District 29 in neighboring Northfield also includes small portions of the southeast side of Northbrook ^[130] District 29 operates two schools in Northfield - Middlefork School (K-3) and Sunset Ridge School (4–8). Residents of District 29 are served by New Trier Township High School District,^[131][132] which operates a freshmen-only campus in Northfield and a campus for upperclassmen in Winnetka.

• St. Norbert Catholic School, a K-8 Catholic Grade School.
• The Cove School, a K–12 school for disabled children.
• Solomon Schechter, a K-8 Jewish school.
• Countryside Montessori School, a K-8 private school.

Oakton Community College in Skokie and Des Plaines serves Northbrook and surrounding areas.^[133]

Northbrook Public Library is the public library of Northbrook. In 1919 the village’s first reading room was established. The Northbrook Public Library first opened in 1952. The current library opened in 1969, and many renovations have occurred, most notably in the 1990’s when a third floor was added to the building.^[134]

Northbrook's government has a television station that all residents are able to access, NCTV Cable Channel 17. The station broadcasts meetings and information about the village.^[135]

Northbrook is served by two newspapers, the Northbrook Star and the Northbrook Herald.^[136][137] The Northbrook Star is a division of the Chicago Tribune,^[138] whilst Northbrook Herald is a division of Daily Herald, which is headquartered in Arlington Heights.^[139][140] In the past, the village also housed The Northbrook Tower, a division of 22nd Century Media,^[141] which went bankrupt in 2020.^[142][143]

Director John Hughes, a native of Northbrook, used the fictional town of "Shermer" as a setting for several of his films.^[144] David Kamp of Vanity Fair said "Hughes's Shermer was partly Northbrook and partly a composite of all the North Shore's towns and neighborhoods—and, by extension, all the different milieus that existed in American suburbia" and that Shermer "was at once an Everytown for every teen and an explicit homage to Hughes's home turf, the North Shore suburbs above Chicago". Hughes and his family moved to Northbrook in 1962, and Hughes attended Glenbrook North High School.^[145]

Some exterior shots of Glenbrook North High School were used in the films The Breakfast Club^[146] and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Northbrook is notable for being home to the "Save Ferris" water tower featured in the movie, which inspired the name of the synonymous band.^[147][148]

Northbrook is served by WGBK 88.5 FM, a non-commercial station operated by students at Glenbrook North High School and Glenbrook South High School. It broadcasts popular music, local high school sports, and covers local news.^[149][150]

Northbrook is connected to Chicago's transportation network.

Interstate Highways:

• Edens Expressway
• Tri-State Tollway

U.S. Highways:

• Skokie Highway
• Milwaukee Avenue

Illinois State Routes:

• Milwaukee Avenue
• Waukegan Road
• Dundee Road

Northbrook is served by Metra commuter rail.^[151] The village is located along the Milwaukee District North Line, which runs from Chicago Union Station to Fox Lake.^[152] Northbrook station is located on Shermer Road in downtown Northbrook and Lake Cook Road station is located just across the border in Deerfield.^[153][154] Furthermore, the Amtrak Hiawatha and Empire Builder trains stop in nearby Glenview.^[155]

Northbrook is also served by Pace suburban bus routes 213, 422, and 471.^{[156][157][158]}

For elderly or disabled residents, Northbrook offers paratransit in the form of a subsidized taxi program.^[159] Northfield Township, which Northbrook lies in, has an identical program called "Dial-a-Ride".^[160]

Northbrook is located 11 miles away from O'Hare International Airport, 24 miles away from Midway International Airport, and 3 miles away from Chicago Executive Airport. Other major regional airports within driving distance include Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, Chicago Rockford International Airport, and Waukegan National Airport.^[161]

From 1929 to 1973 Northbrook was home to Sky Harbor Airport (formerly, IATA: OBK).^[162][163] Today the area it sat on has been transformed into Sky Harbor Business Park, which includes a restaurant and an air conditioning business that operate out of the airport's former hangar.^[164]

Northbrook's government manages water and sewer services while other utilities are privately managed; electricity is provided by Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), internet can be accessed through Comcast or AT&T, natural gas is provided by Nicor Gas, and garbage, recycling, and yard waste management services are handled by LRS Waste Management.^[165][166]

The United States Postal Service operates three post offices in Northbrook: the Northbrook Post Office,^[167] the Northbrook Downtown Post Office,^[168] and the Techny Post Office.^[169]

Several clinics and medical service centers exist in Northbrook including a Lurie Children's Hospital's Outpatient Center.^[170] Nearby hospitals include Glenbrook Hospital and Highland Park Hospital, both of which are operated by Endeavor HealthSystem (formerly known as NorthShore University HealthSystem).

• 

• David Abidor (born 1992), soccer player^[171]
• Scott Adsit (born 1965), comedian, cast member of 30 Rock, voiced Baymax in the Disney film Big Hero 6
• Steve Bartman, namesake of "Bartman incident" from Game 6 of 2003 National League Championship Series^[172]
• Steven D. Binder (born 1971), Hollywood producer and screenwriter
• Jayne Brook (born 1960), actress
• Mike Brown (born 1985), right wing for several National Hockey League teams
• Nusrat Jahan Choudhury (born 1976), Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She was a childhood resident of Northbrook.^[173]
• Meg Waite Clayton (born 1959), novelist^[174]
• Chris Collins (born 1974), basketball head coach, Northwestern
• J. T. Compher (born 1995), center for NHL's Colorado Avalanche
• Jesse Compher (born 1999), professional hockey player for the Toronto Sceptres
• Billy Donlon (born 1977), head coach for Wright State Raiders men's basketball 2010–16
• Han Chae-young (born 1980), actress who primarily stars in South Korean television dramas
• Luol Deng (born 1985), small forward for NBA's Chicago Bulls
• Anne Henning (born 1955), Olympic speed skater, 1972 gold medalist^[175]
• Dianne Holum (born 1951), Olympic speed skater, 1972 gold medalist^[175]
• John Hughes (1950–2009), film director and screenwriter^[144]
• Kaskade (born 1971), professional DJ
• Ken Goldstein (born 1969), documentary director; writer; musician, author of "The Way of the Nerd" book series
• Krewella, EDM group
• Jason Kipnis (born 1987), second baseman for MLB's Chicago Cubs
• Jayson Megna (born 1990), right wing for NHL's Vancouver Canucks
• Pat Misch (born 1981), pitcher for MLB's San Francisco Giants, New York Mets
• John Park (born 1988), former American Idol contestant; currently active as a musician in South Korea
• Kathy Parker (born 1943), Illinois state senator^[176]
• Scott Sanderson (1955–2019), pitcher with several MLB teams
• Jon Scheyer (born 1987), American-Israeli All-American basketball player for national champion 2009–10 Duke basketball team, Current head coach for the Duke Blue Devil’s men’s basketball team, also played for Maccabi Tel Aviv^[177][178]
• Johnny Suh (born 1995), K-pop artist, member of the K-pop groups NCT 127 and NCT

Northbrook became sister cities with Diegem, Belgium, in 1966.^[15]

• Cook County, Illinois
• List of municipalities in Illinois
• Index of Illinois-related articles

• Official website
• Historical society

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Tradesperson specializing in electrical wiring

For other uses, see Electrician (disambiguation).

 

Electrician

A US Navy electrician's mate rewiring the stator of an induction motor.
Occupation
Occupation type	Vocational
Activity sectors	Maintenance, Electrical Grid
Description
Education required	Apprenticeship
Fields of employment	Construction
Related jobs	Lineperson

An electrician is a tradesperson specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, transmission lines, stationary machines, and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure.^[1] Electricians may also specialize in wiring ships, airplanes, and other mobile platforms, as well as data and cable lines.

Terminology

[edit]

Electricians were originally people who demonstrated or studied the principles of electricity, often electrostatic generators of one form or another.^[2]

In the United States, electricians are divided into two primary categories: lineperson, who work on electric utility company distribution systems at higher voltages, and wiremen, who work with the lower voltages utilized inside buildings. Wiremen are generally trained in one of five primary specialties: commercial, residential, light industrial, industrial, and low-voltage wiring, more commonly known as Voice-Data-Video, or VDV. Other sub-specialties such as control wiring and fire-alarm may be performed by specialists trained in the devices being installed, or by inside wiremen.

Electricians are trained to one of three levels: Apprentice, Journeyperson, and Master Electrician. In the US and Canada, apprentices work and receive a reduced compensation while learning their trade. They generally take several hundred hours of classroom instruction and are contracted to follow apprenticeship standards for a period of between three and six years, during which time they are paid as a percentage of the Journeyperson's pay. Journeymen are electricians who have completed their Apprenticeship and who have been found by the local, State, or National licensing body to be competent in the electrical trade. Master Electricians have performed well in the trade for a period of time, often seven to ten years, and have passed an exam to demonstrate superior knowledge of the National Electrical Code, or NEC.

Service electricians are tasked to respond to requests for isolated repairs and upgrades. They have skills troubleshooting wiring problems, installing wiring in existing buildings, and making repairs. Construction electricians primarily focus on larger projects, such as installing all new electrical system for an entire building, or upgrading an entire floor of an office building as part of a remodeling process. Other specialty areas are marine electricians, research electricians and hospital electricians. "Electrician" is also used as the name of a role in stagecraft, where electricians are tasked primarily with hanging, focusing, and operating stage lighting. In this context, the Master Electrician is the show's chief electrician. Although theater electricians routinely perform electrical work on stage lighting instruments and equipment, they are not part of the electrical trade and have a different set of skills and qualifications from the electricians that work on building wiring.

In the film industry and on a television crew the head electrician is referred to as a Gaffer.

Electrical contractors are businesses that employ electricians to design, install, and maintain electrical systems. Contractors are responsible for generating bids for new jobs, hiring tradespeople for the job, providing material to electricians in a timely manner, and communicating with architects, electrical and building engineers, and the customer to plan and complete the finished product.

Training and regulation of trade

[edit]

Many jurisdictions have regulatory restrictions concerning electrical work for safety reasons due to the many hazards of working with electricity. Such requirements may be testing, registration or licensing. Licensing requirements vary between jurisdictions.

Australia

[edit]

An electrician's license entitles the holder to carry out all types of electrical installation work in Australia without supervision. However, to contract, or offer to contract, to carry out electrical installation work, a licensed electrician must also be registered as an electrical contractor. Under Australian law, electrical work that involves fixed wiring is strictly regulated and must almost always be performed by a licensed electrician or electrical contractor.^[3] A local electrician can handle a range of work including air conditioning, light fittings and installation, safety switches, smoke alarm installation, inspection and certification and testing and tagging of electrical appliances.

To provide data, structured cabling systems, home automation & theatre, LAN, WAN and VPN data solutions or phone points, an installer must be licensed as a Telecommunications Cable Provider under a scheme controlled by Australian Communications and Media Authority^[4]

Electrical licensing in Australia is regulated by the individual states. In Western Australia, the Department of Commerce tracks licensee's and allows the public to search for individually named/licensed Electricians.^[5]

Currently in Victoria the apprenticeship lasts for four years, during three of those years the apprentice attends trade school in either a block release of one week each month or one day each week. At the end of the apprenticeship the apprentice is required to pass three examinations, one of which is theory based with the other two practically based. Upon successful completion of these exams, providing all other components of the apprenticeship are satisfactory, the apprentice is granted an A Class licence on application to Energy Safe Victoria (ESV).

An A Class electrician may perform work unsupervised but is unable to work for profit or gain without having the further qualifications necessary to become a Registered Electrical Contractor (REC) or being in the employment of a person holding REC status. However, some exemptions do exist.^[6]

In most cases a certificate of electrical safety must be submitted to the relevant body after any electrical works are performed.

Safety equipment used and worn by electricians in Australia (including insulated rubber gloves and mats) needs to be tested regularly to ensure it is still protecting the worker. Because of the high risk involved in this trade, this testing needs to be performed regularly and regulations vary according to state. Industry best practice is the Queensland Electrical Safety Act 2002, and requires six-monthly testing.

Canada

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Training of electricians follows an apprenticeship model, taking four or five years to progress to fully qualified journeyperson level.^[7] Typical apprenticeship programs consists of 80-90% hands-on work under the supervision of journeymen and 10-20% classroom training.^[8] Training and licensing of electricians is regulated by each province, however professional licenses are valid throughout Canada under Agreement on Internal Trade. An endorsement under the Red Seal Program provides additional competency assurance to industry standards.^[9] In order for individuals to become a licensed electricians, they need to have 9000 hours of practical, on the job training. They also need to attend school for 4 terms and pass a provincial exam. This training enables them to become journeyperson electricians. Furthermore, in British Columbia, an individual can go a step beyond that and become a "FSR", or field safety representative. This credential gives the ability to become a licensed electrical contractor and to pull permits. Notwithstanding this, some Canadian provinces only grant "permit pulling privileges" to current Master Electricians, that is, a journeyperson who has been engaged in the industry for three years and has passed the Master's examination (i.e. Alberta). The various levels of field safety representatives are A, B and C. The only difference between each class is that they are able to do increasingly higher voltage and current work.

United Kingdom

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The two qualification awarding organisations are City and Guilds and EAL. Electrical competence is required at Level 3 to practice as a 'qualified electrician' in the UK. Once qualified and demonstrating the required level of competence an Electrician can apply to register for a Joint Industry Board Electrotechnical Certification Scheme card in order to work on building sites or other controlled areas.

Although partly covered during Level 3 training, more in depth knowledge and qualifications can be obtained covering subjects such as Design and Verification or Testing and Inspection among others. These additional qualifications can be listed on the reverse of the JIB card. Beyond this level is additional training and qualifications such as EV charger installations or training and working in specialist areas such as street furniture or within industry.

The Electricity at Work Regulations are a statutory document that covers the use and proper maintenance of electrical equipment and installations within businesses and other organisations such as charities. Parts of the Building Regulations cover the legal requirements of the installation of electrical technical equipment with Part P outlining most of the regulations covering dwellings

Information regarding design, selection, installation and testing of electrical structures is provided in the non-statutory publication 'Requirements for Electrical Installations, IET Wiring Regulations, Eighteenth Edition, BS 7671:2018' otherwise known as the Wiring Regulations or 'Regs'. Usual amendments are published on an ad hoc bases when minor changes occur. The first major update of the 18th Edition were published during February 2020 mainly covering the section covering Electric vehicles charger installations although an addendum was published during December 2019 correcting some minor mistakes and adding some small changes. The IET also publish a series of 'Guidance Notes' in book form that provide further in-depth knowledge.

With the exception of the work covered by Part P of the Building Regulations, such as installing consumer units, new circuits or work in bathrooms, there are no laws that prevent anyone from carrying out some basic electrical work in the UK.

In British English, an electrician is colloquially known as a "spark".^[10]

United States

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The United States does not offer nationwide licensing and electrical licenses are issued by individual states. There are variations in licensing requirements, however, all states recognize three basic skill categories: level electricians. Journeyperson electricians can work unsupervised provided that they work according to a master's direction. Generally, states do not offer journeyperson permits, and journeyperson electricians and other apprentices can only work under permits issued to a master electrician. Apprentices may not work without direct supervision.^[11]

Before electricians can work unsupervised, they are usually required to serve an apprenticeship lasting three to five years under the general supervision of a master electrician and usually the direct supervision of a journeyperson electrician.^[11] Schooling in electrical theory and electrical building codes is required to complete the apprenticeship program. Many apprenticeship programs provide a salary to the apprentice during training. A journeyperson electrician is a classification of licensing granted to those who have met the experience requirements for on the job training (usually 4,000 to 6,000 hours) and classroom hours (about 144 hours). Requirements include completion of two to six years of apprenticeship training and passing a licensing exam.^[12]

Reciprocity

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An electrician's license is valid for work in the state where the license was issued. In addition, many states recognize licenses from other states, sometimes called interstate reciprocity participation, although there can be conditions imposed. For example, California reciprocates with Arizona, Nevada, and Utah on the condition that licenses are in good standing and have been held at the other state for five years.^[13] Nevada reciprocates with Arizona, California, and Utah.^[14] Maine reciprocates with New Hampshire and Vermont at the master level, and the state reciprocates with New Hampshire, North Dakota, Idaho, Oregon, Vermont, and Wyoming at the journeyperson level.^[15] Colorado maintains a journeyperson alliance with Alaska, Arkansas, the Dakotas, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming.^[16]

Tools

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Electricians use a range of hand and power tools and instruments.

Some of the more common tools are:

• Conduit bender: Bender used to bend various types of electrical conduit. These come in many variations including hand, electrical, and hydraulic powered.
• Non-contact voltage testers
• Lineman's pliers: Heavy-duty pliers for general use in cutting, bending, crimping and pulling wire.
• Diagonal pliers (also known as side cutters or Dikes): Pliers consisting of cutting blades for use on smaller gauge wires, but sometimes also used as a gripping tool for removal of nails and staples.
• Needle-nose pliers: Pliers with a long, tapered gripping nose of various size, with or without cutters, generally smaller and for finer work (including very small tools used in electronics wiring).
• Wire strippers: Plier-like tool available in many sizes and designs featuring special blades to cut and strip wire insulation while leaving the conductor wire intact and without nicks. Some wire strippers include cable strippers among their multiple functions, for removing the outer cable jacket.
• Cable cutters: Highly leveraged pliers for cutting larger cable.
• Armored cable cutters: Commonly referred to by the trademark 'Roto-Split', is a tool used to cut the metal sleeve on MC (Metal Clad) cable.
• Multimeter: An instrument for electrical measurement with multiple functions. It is available as analog or digital display. Common features include: voltage, resistance, and current. Some models offer additional functions.
• Unibit, Step-bit: Metal-cutting drill bits with stepped-diameter cutting edges to enable convenient drilling holes in preset increments in stamped/rolled metal up to about 1.6mm (1/16 inch) thick. Commonly used to create custom knock-outs in a breaker panel or junction box.
• Cord, rope or fish tape. Used to manipulate cables and wires through cavities. The fishing tool is pushed, dropped, or shot into the installed raceway, stud-bay or joist-bay of a finished wall or in a floor or ceiling. Then the wire or cable is attached and pulled back.
• Crimping tools: Used to apply terminals or splices. These may be hand or hydraulic powered. Some hand tools have ratchets to insure proper pressure. Hydraulic units achieve cold welding, even for aluminum cable.
• Insulation resistance tester: Commonly referred to as a megger, these testers apply several hundred to several thousand volts to cables and equipment to determine the insulation resistance value.
• Knockout punch: For punching holes into boxes, panels, switchgear, etc. for inserting cable & pipe connectors.
• GFCI/RCD testers: Used to test the functionality of Ground-Fault Interrupting receptacles.
• Voltmeter: An electrician's tool used to measure electrical potential difference between two points in an electric circuit.
• Other general-use tools include screwdrivers, hammers, reciprocating saws, drywall saws, flashlights, chisels, tongue and groove pliers (Commonly referred to as 'Channellock®' pliers, a famous manufacturer of this tool) and drills.

Safety

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In addition to the workplace hazards generally faced by industrial workers, electricians are also particularly exposed to injury by electricity. An electrician may experience electric shock due to direct contact with energized circuit conductors or due to stray voltage caused by faults in a system. An electric arc exposes eyes and skin to hazardous amounts of heat and light. Faulty switchgear may cause an arc flash incident with a resultant blast. Electricians are trained to work safely and take many measures to minimize the danger of injury. Lockout and tagout procedures are used to make sure that circuits are proven to be de-energized before work is done. Limits of approach to energized equipment protect against arc flash exposure; specially designed flash-resistant clothing provides additional protection; grounding (earthing) clamps and chains are used on line conductors to provide a visible assurance that a conductor is de-energized. Personal protective equipment provides electrical insulation as well as protection from mechanical impact; gloves have insulating rubber liners, and work boots and hard hats are specially rated to provide protection from shock. If a system cannot be de-energized, insulated tools are used; even high-voltage transmission lines can be repaired while energized, when necessary.^[17]

Electrical workers, which includes electricians, accounted for 34% of total electrocutions of construction trades workers in the United States between 1992 and 2003.^[18]

Working conditions for electricians vary by specialization. Generally an electrician's work is physically demanding such as climbing ladders and lifting tools and supplies. Occasionally an electrician must work in a cramped space or on scaffolding, and may frequently be bending, squatting or kneeling, to make connections in awkward locations. Construction electricians may spend much of their days in outdoor or semi-outdoor loud and dirty work sites. Industrial electricians may be exposed to the heat, dust, and noise of an industrial plant. Power systems electricians may be called to work in all kinds of adverse weather to make emergency repairs.

Some electricians are union members and work under their union's policies.

Electricians can choose to be represented by the Electrical Trade Union (ETU). Electrical Contractors can be represented by the National Electrical & Communications Association or Master Electricians Australia.

Some electricians are union members. Some examples of electricians' unions include the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Canadian Union of Public Employees, and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers provides its own apprenticeships through its National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee and the National Electrical Contractors Association. Many merit shop training and apprenticeship programs also exist, including those offered by such as trade associations as Associated Builders and Contractors and Independent Electrical Contractors. These organizations provide comprehensive training, in accordance with U.S. Department of Labor regulations.

In the United Kingdom, electricians are represented by several unions including Unite the Union

In the Republic of Ireland there are two self-regulation/self certification bodies RECI Register of Electrical Contractors of Ireland and ECSSA.

An auto electrician is a tradesperson specializing in electrical wiring of motor vehicles. Auto electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical components. Auto electricians specialize in cars and commercial vehicles. The auto electrical trade is generally more difficult than the electrical trade due to the confined spaces, engineering complexity of modern automotive electrical systems, and working conditions (often roadside breakdowns or on construction sites, mines, quarries to repair machinery etc.) Also the presence of high-current DC electricity makes injury from burns and arc-flash injury possible.

• Lineworker
• Gaffer (Term used in film and television)
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• List of electricians, notable individuals who have worked as electricians
• List of electrician tools and equipment
• Electronics technician

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Electricians.

• Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Electrician fault and detections issue
• Jeans, W. T., The Lives of Electricians: Professors Tyndall, Wheatstone, and Morse. (1887, Whittaker & Co.)