60016 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
60074
60016
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 30%
vs41 · Bottom 23%
Growth
18 · Bottom 6%
vs20 · Bottom 7%
Climate
62 · Bottom 21%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs69 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs84 · Top 44%
Schools
40 · Bottom 36%
vs67 · Top 30%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
75 · Top 21%
vs66 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | 60074 | 60016 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,460 | 60,898 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,089 | $86,571 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,614 | $43,653 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,133/sq mi | 5,023/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $315,500 | $320,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,486 | $1,558 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 67.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.4% | 43.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 8.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -33.3% | -53.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.3" | 37.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.5 min | 32.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 40.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.63 | 10.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.2% | 25.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 15.5% | 33.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.6% | 56.9% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
60074
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
60016
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 60074 — Palatine, IL · 60016 — Des Plaines, IL · How this is calculated: methodology