60087 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
60120
60087
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 17%
vs43 · Bottom 26%
Growth
28 · Bottom 14%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
71 · Top 34%
vs80 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 19%
vs93 · Top 26%
Schools
26 · Bottom 17%
vs34 · Bottom 28%
Access
92 · Bottom 47%
vs86 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | 60120 | 60087 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,225 | 27,293 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,449 | $76,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,506 | $34,604 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,940/sq mi | 2,104/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $242,300 | $206,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,371 | $1,356 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.7% | 59.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 184 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -48.5% | 85.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.2" | 35.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.5 | 37.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.22 | 12.60 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 12.6% | 11.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 12.2% | 14.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.9% | 66.5% | 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: 60120 — Elgin, IL · 60087 — Waukegan, IL · How this is calculated: methodology