60014 and 60544 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
60014
60544
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 34%
vs51 · Bottom 42%
Growth
73 · Top 11%
vs73 · Top 12%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs59 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 31%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs90 · Top 32%
Schools
71 · Top 25%
vs64 · Top 35%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs86 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
80 · Top 11%
vs73 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | 60014 | 60544 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,590 | 27,306 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $109,016 | $108,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,286 | $49,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,936/sq mi | 1,128/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $323,800 | $336,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,471 | $1,978 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.9% | 84.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.2% | 44.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.2% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 367 | 598 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.0 | 12.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 53.6% | -18.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.2" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 35.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.59 | 14.82 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 31.3% | 27.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.6% | 35.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 32.8% | 32.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 60014 — Crystal Lake, IL · 60544 — Plainfield, IL · How this is calculated: methodology