60178 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
60050
60178
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 35%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs50 · Top 49%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 31%
vs80 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
49 · Bottom 46%
vs56 · Top 44%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs79 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
83 · Top 6%
vs77 · Top 16%
Measured values
| Metric | 60050 | 60178 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,781 | 22,224 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,812 | $92,913 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,331 | $46,128 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,203/sq mi | 331/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $263,700 | $279,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,563 | $1,166 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.3% | 72.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.3% | 46.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.5% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 79 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -68.4% | -2.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.3" | 37.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 39 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 28.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.26 | 14.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.0% | 25.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 25.0% | 27.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.0% | 27.1% | 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: 60050 — McHenry, IL · 60178 — Sycamore, IL · How this is calculated: methodology