60178 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
60178
60050
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 44%
vs48 · Bottom 35%
Growth
50 · Top 49%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 23%
vs73 · Top 31%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs49 · Bottom 46%
Access
79 · Bottom 20%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
77 · Top 16%
vs83 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 60178 | 60050 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,224 | 31,781 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,913 | $88,812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,128 | $45,331 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 331/sq mi | 1,203/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $279,500 | $263,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,166 | $1,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.9% | 75.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.8% | 25.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.2% | 5.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 70 | 79 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.8% | -68.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.4" | 35.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 39 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.0 | 42.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.20 | 13.26 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.8% | 18.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 27.3% | 25.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.1% | 39.0% | 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: 60178 — Sycamore, IL · 60050 — McHenry, IL · How this is calculated: methodology